Damask

Damask
Italian silk polychrome damasks, 14th century.

Damask (Arabic: دمسق‎) is a reversible figured fabric of silk, wool, linen, cotton, or synthetic fibers, 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

History

Damasks used one of the five basic weaving techniques of the Byzantine and Islamic weaving centres of the early Middle Ages,[3] and derive their name from the city of Damascus, which at the time was a large city active in both trading and manufacture. Damasks were scarce after the ninth century outside of Islamic Spain, but were revived in some places in the thirteenth century.[4] The word "damask" is first seen in a Western European language in the mid-14th century in French.[5] By the fourteenth century, damasks were being woven on draw looms in Italy. From the fourteenth to the sixteenth century, most damasks were woven in a single 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 colors as supplemental brocading wefts. Medieval damasks were usually woven in silk, but wool and linen damasks were also woven.[2][6]

Modern uses

The Comtesse de Tillières by Jean-Marc Nattier (1750)
London, Wallace Collection
A damask covers the chair.

As of 2011 damask weaves are commonly produced in monochromatic (single-colour) weaves in silk, linen or linen-type synthetic fabrics which feature patterns of flowers, fruit, and other designs.[citation needed] 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, but also in clothing and furnishings. Modern damasks are woven on computerized Jacquard looms.[1]

Notes

  1. ^ a b Kadolph 2007, p. 251
  2. ^ a b Monnas 2008, p. 295
  3. ^ The five weaves were damask, tabby, twill, lampas and tapestry. See Jenkins 2003, p. 343
  4. ^ Jenkins 2003, p. 343
  5. ^ Damas etymology (in French).
  6. ^ Monnas 2008, p. 299

References

  • Jenkins, David, ed.: The Cambridge History of Western Textiles, Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2003, ISBN 0521341078
  • Kadolph, Sara J., ed.: Textiles, 10th edition, Pearson/Prentice-Hall, 2007, ISBN 0131187694
  • Monnas, Lisa. Merchants, Princes and Painters: Silk Fabrics in Italian and Northern Paintings 1300-1550. London and New Haven, Yale University Press, 2008

See also


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Damask — Dam ask, a. 1. Pertaining to, or originating at, the city of Damascus; resembling the products or manufactures of Damascus. [1913 Webster] 2. Having the color of the damask rose. [1913 Webster] But let concealment, like a worm i the bud, Feed on… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Damask — Dam ask (d[a^]m ask), n. [From the city Damascus, L. Damascus, Gr. Damasko s, Heb. Dammesq, Ar. Daemeshq; cf. Heb. d meseq damask; cf. It. damasco, Sp. damasco, F. damas. Cf. {Damascene}, {Damass[ E]}.] 1. Damask silk; silk woven with an… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Damask — Dàmask (Dimashq ash Sham) m DEFINICIJA glavni grad Sirije, 1.326.000 stan. SINTAGMA poći u Damask doživjeti viziju i obraćenje; prema Sv. Pavlu (do tada Saul) koji je na putu u Damask doživio viziju Isusa i od tvrdog neznabošca postao… …   Hrvatski jezični portal

  • damask — [dam′əsk] n. [It damasco, after L Damascus (the city)] 1. a durable, lustrous, reversible fabric as of silk or linen, in figured weave, used for table linen, upholstery, etc. 2. a) DAMASCUS STEEL b) the wavy markings of such steel 3. deep pink or …   English World dictionary

  • Damask — Damask, eine der bedeutendsten Städte des alten Syrien, so alt, daß selbige bereits in der Erzählung vom Patriarchen Abraham erwähnt wird. Es war Damaskus also schon damals eine Stadt, und unter der Regierung David s von großer Wichtigkeit.… …   Damen Conversations Lexikon

  • Damask — Dam ask, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Damasked}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Damasking}.] To decorate in a way peculiar to Damascus or attributed to Damascus; particularly: (a) with flowers and rich designs, as silk; (b) with inlaid lines of gold, etc., or with a… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Damask [1] — Damask (Damascus, arab. Demiekh, Dimeschk), 1) (Cham), Ejalet od. Paschalik in der Asiatischen Türkei, 1260 QM., gehört zu Syrien, umfaßt im Allgemeinen das Gebiet zwischen dem Libanon dem Euphrat, od. den größten Theil von Palästina, u. einen… …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Damask [2] — Damask (Gesch.). Der Ursprung von D. verliert sich in die mythische Zeit; hierher verlegt eine orientalische Sage Adams Sündenfall u. das Opfer Abels u. Kains; nach der griechischen Sage hatte es Damaskos, der Sohn des Hermes u. der Halimede, der …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Dàmask — (Dimashq ash Sham) m glavni grad Sirije ✧ {{001f}}lat. ← grč. ← arap …   Veliki rječnik hrvatskoga jezika

  • damask — late 14c., Damaske cloth from DAMASCUS (Cf. Damascus), the Syrian city …   Etymology dictionary

  • damask — ► NOUN ▪ a rich heavy fabric with a pattern woven into it. ► ADJECTIVE literary ▪ pink or light red. ORIGIN from Damascus, where the fabric was first produced …   English terms dictionary

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