Maria Monaci Gallenga

Maria Monaci Gallenga (1880–1944) was an Italian textile designer and fashion designer.[1] Along with her husband, Gallenga invented a unique metallic, block printing technique for fabrics that gave her textiles a distinct hue.[2]

Early life

Maria Monaci Gallenga was born in Rome in 1880.[1] Born into a prominent family of academics, as a young girl she was fascinated with history and particularly in medieval and Renaissance Italian art history.[2] In 1903 she married Peter Gallenga,[3] a professor at the University of Rome.[4]

Career

Gallenga started designing and making textiles and clothing in 1914 out of a studio in Florence.[3] She often exhibited her designs in art exhibitions.[3] These designs combined a unique mixture of old world motifs, such as heavy velvet and medieval patterns, with more modern 1920s silhouettes.[4] Gallenga also had a flair for theatricality and designed many cloaks and capes.[3] In 1923, Gallenga was awarded a Silver Medal at the Monza design exhibition.[3] In 1928, Gallenga co-founded the Boutique Italienne in Paris with the designers Bice Pittoni and Carla Visconti di Modrone.[3]

In line with her passion for history, many of her textile pattern titles reference medieval and Renaissance history. For example, the "Mona Tessa" is a reference to the mother of Beatrice Portinari, the muse of Dante Alighieri.[5]

Death

Gallenga died in 1944 in Italy.[3]

Public collections

Gallenga's work can be found in a number of public institutions, including:

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Maria Monaci Gallenga", Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco, Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  2. 1 2 Camerlengo, Laura. "Gallenga", Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Maria Monaci Gallenga", Fashion Model Directory, Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  4. 1 2 "Textile by Maria Gallenga", Metropolitan Museum of Art, Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  5. ↑ "Woman's cape", Philadelphia Museum of Art, Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  6. ↑ "Maria Monaci Gallenga", RISD Museum, Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  7. ↑ "Collections: Maria Monaci Gallenga", Philadelphia Museum of Art, Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  8. ↑ "Gallenga, Maria Monaci", Victoria & Albert Museum, Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  9. ↑ "Collections: Gallenga, Maria Monaci", Art Institute of Chicago, Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  10. ↑ "Maria Gallenga", Metropolitan Museum of Art, Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  11. ↑ , National Museums NI, Retrieved 26 October 2017.
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