Artisan Hemp Tablecloth Runner Hand Painted Italian Art Unique Piece

Table runner handcrafted in antique canvas and entirely hand painted according to the Italian textile tradition, a unique piece of quality made in Italy.

In the workshop since 1990 Lara Marchi has created authentic unique and exclusive works of art by hand-painting on hand-woven ancient fabrics.

The main features of the creations are well-proportioned geometric lines with well-tuned colors, created each time by mixing various unrepeatable shades. This whole is so balanced that it reveals a harmony of emotions.

The fabrics used, of linen or hemp, come from manual work carried out on a loom by the women of Romagna, an artisan art that has disappeared for decades.

These are robust fabrics created specifically to withstand time and have a fascinating history behind them: they were born in the Romagna country houses, where each family wove their own fabrics at home by hand to the loom. They are artifacts that therefore tell us about lives lived by continuing to give us emotions even today.

Their advantage:

• Some of the ancient fabrics that are expertly decorated by hand by Lara date back to the beginning of the last century.
• The colors used are created directly by the artist in his workshop, as per the 1600 recipe, and are indelible and resistant to repeated washing even in the washing machine.

Each item requires working days and the various phases include:

1. Washing: the fabric is washed and dried naturally.
2. Cut: the fabric is cut by hand to the size and shape of the article to be created.
3. Manganatura: this phase is carried out with the mangle of 1633 in order to iron, compact and press the fabric.
4. Preparation of the color: as per the recipe of the 1600s, the colors are produced manually using natural ingredients that give unique and lively shades, while guaranteeing an optimal yield and maximum resistance. The primary colors prepared are: rust, blue, green, red.
5. Hand painting: Each item is hand painted.
6. Color drying: after painting the fabric, it is stretched out to dry for a few days.
7. Fixing of the color: another important phase to guarantee the duration of the color and maintain its brilliance over time.
8. Ironing with the mangle: second phase of ironing the fabric necessary for the preparation for the next phase, that of packaging and sewing.
9. Packaging and stitching: in this phase the various articles are created, sewn and packaged by hand.
10. Last ironing with the mangle: the article is ready to be used.  

The whole manufacturing process, being carried out as in 1633, is naturally low environmental impact, eco-sustainable, because energy consumption is reduced to a minimum.

Each creation is to be considered a true work of art, unique and unrepeatable in its kind.
Manual processing at all stages of production makes every single item unique and every small detail that might seem like an imperfection, shows that the work was performed by a master craftsman and not by a machine.

Technical information:

• Fabric: 100% old hemp canvas, hand-woven loom. The typical feature of this ancient and precious fabric is the irregularity of the texture.
• Dimensions: 140 x 59 cm
• Washing instructions: You can machine wash. The item will be shipped with detailed washing instructions.