Where can you find more beauty?

Where can you find the most exquisite and elaborate textiles then at Bevilacqua, Tessuti d’arte, in Venice? Utterly beautiful store representing truly the Venetian splendor of the past, the present, the future. No matter how modern or minimalist some houses are, many more give a welcome to traditional decoration, sometimes opulent, sometimes more subtle. Certainly even a few pieces of these fabrics can create a stunning effect.

At a Venezia Biennale in the recent past this company represented the “Genius of tradition” with eight centuries of velvet in Venice by Bevilacqua.

I could see Desdemona dressing in this fabulous room, waiting for Otello to visit her in her apartments…

I was allowed in the darker room, where a stunning collection of antique textiles are kept in a semi dark environment to avoid deterioration. I was not allowed to take pictures though so you must believe me, it was magic. To explain more my fascination for this store I need to say that in their not far textile mill a few scenes from one of my favorite movies "Anonimo Veneziano" took place.

The Lion of Saint Mark (Leone di San Marco) a symbol of Venice for centuries is carved in marble and becomes a base for this display table.

This is Giulia, a very gracious lady who showed me around narrating the history of the company.

A delightful hour spent surrounded by beauty.

Photography by Albarosa Simonetti