In 1204 Western crusaders toppled the Byzantine Empire and divided up its territories among their allies. The Republic of Venice gained colonies in the Aegean Sea, including the island of Crete, which it held for more than 400 years. European ideas, customs and fashions had a lasting impact on the island’s Greek population.
By the 17th century Cretan women from all levels of society had adopted the Venetian style of dress. This included a linen and cotton skirt that hung loosely from the bust line to the ankles by two short shoulder straps. Small pleats gathered at the top of the white skirt were complemented by a wide band of decorative embroidery at the hem. The full skirt was worn over a tunic with long, wide sleeves.
Detail of skirt border.
Intricately embroidered in herringbone, satin and chain stitches, this skirt border from The Textile Museum Collection depicts flowers, birds and figures from Greek mythology. The eye-catching green and primary colors are distinctly Cretan; many other Greek Islands use a monochrome palette. Like the skirt it embellishes, this embroidery style may reflect Venetian influence — including tailoring techniques and design adapted from the Italian Renaissance.
“Candia” (detail), modern day Heraklion, Crete, Greece, c. 1630. National Library of Israel.
