Here There and Everywhere

Seville’s Folklorique Museum

Just across a large plaze is another wonderful museum, one I could happily spend many days in. Once again, they waved us through, they would not take our money. There were several exhibits showing us how things came about, how they developed wheat grinding, for example, how fabrics were woven, all with tableaux and short videos. We watched one very long video about a church that carries the Saint or Madonna around the town on a special cart once a year, and celebrates with a festival.

My favorite part of this museum is one whole wing devoted to textiles, embroidery and gossamer shawls, that remind me so much of the ancient, transparent “shayla” the elderly women used to wear as veils in old Qatar and old Kuwait. Nothing like the black opaque headscarves and face coverings of today; these were light and airy and as fragile as a spider’s web. I have one I treasure, but I keep it wrapped in a box because it can tear so easily. Here is a whole wing of a museum with glorious examples of exquisite handiwork of this nature.

Hand embroidered cut-work:

Hand worked lace and cut-work on fine linen:

Decorative tools and utensils:

The Folklorique Museum and tile patterns done in stone and mosaic:

Gossamer lace work:

Glorious white work:

Finely woven and embroidered silk:

We would haunt the flea markets of France, and find many similar treasures in France, tossed out by people who wanted new and glossy. I bought linens of all kinds, but nothing of this quality.

We were thrilled to have this extra day to see Seville more thoroughly, and to explore these two museums. Once again, and easy 10,000 steps 🙂

December 25, 2015 - Posted by intlxpatr | Adventure, Arts & Handicrafts, Beauty, Cultural, Exercise, ExPat Life, Travel | Folklorique Museum, Seville, Spain