Damask

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other uses, see Damask (disambiguation).

Italian silk polychrome damasks, 14th century.

Damask (Arabic: )is a reversible figured fabric of silk, wool, linen, cotton, or synthetic fibres, with a
pattern formed by weaving. Damasks are woven with one warp yarn and one weft yarn, usually with the
pattern in warp-faced satin weave and the ground in weft-faced or sateen weave. Twill damasks include
a twill-woven ground or pattern.[1][2]

Contents
[hide]

1History

2Modern usage

3See also

4References

History[edit]
Damask with floral sprigs, Italy, Baroque, 1600-1650, silk two-tone damask
The production of damask was one of the five basic weaving techniquesthe others
being tabby, twill, lampas, and tapestryof the Byzantine and Islamic weaving centres of
the early Middle Ages.[3] Damasks derive their name from the city of Damascusin that period a large
city active both in trading (as part of the silk road) and in manufacture.[4] Damasks became scarce after
the 9th century outside of Islamic Spain, but were revived in some places in the 13th century.[3]
The word "damask" first appeared in records in a Western European language in the mid-14th century
in French.[5] By the 14th century, damasks were being woven on draw looms in Italy. From the 14th to
16th century, most damasks were woven in one colour with a glossy warp-faced satin pattern against a
duller ground. Two-colour damasks had contrasting colour warps and wefts, and polychrome damasks
added gold and other metallic threads or additional colours as supplemental brocading wefts. Medieval
damasks were usually woven in silk, but weavers also produced wool and linen damasks.[2]

Modern usage[edit]

The Comtesse de Tillires by Jean-Marc Nattier (1750)

London, Wallace Collection

A damask covers the chair.

Modern damasks are woven on computerized Jacquard looms.[1] Damask weaves are commonly
produced in monochromatic (single-colour) weaves in silk, linen, or synthetic fibres such as rayon and
feature patterns of flowers, fruit, and other designs. The long floats of satin-woven warp and weft threads
cause soft highlights on the fabric which reflect light differently according to the position of the observer.
Damask weaves appear most commonly in table linens and furnishing fabrics, but they are also used for
clothing. The Damask weave is used extensively throughout the fashion industry due to its versatility and
high-quality finish. Damask is usually used for mid-to-high-quality garments, meaning the label tends to
have a higher definition and a more expensive look.

See also[edit]
Diapering (damask patterns in heraldry)

References[edit]
1.

^ Jump up to:a b Kadolph, Sara J., ed.: Textiles, 10th edition, Pearson/PrenticeHall, 2007, ISBN 0-13-118769-4, p. 251

2.

^ Jump up to:a b Monnas, Lisa. Merchants, Princes and Painters: Silk Fabrics in
Italian and Northern Paintings 1300-1550. New Haven, Yale University Press, 2008, pp.
295299

3.

^ Jump up to:a b Jenkins, David T., ed.: The Cambridge History of Western
Textiles, Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2003, ISBN 0-521-34107-8, p.
343.

4.

Jump up^ "What is Damask Fabric", Period Home and Garden

5.

Jump up^ "Damas" etymology (in French).

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