I Have Some Free Time… Let’s Go Over Aemilia Ars Vs Punto In Aria Vs Reticella/reticello.

I have some free time… Let’s go over aemilia ars vs punto in aria vs reticella/reticello.

Important disclaimer: I am not a formally trained fashion historian and people REALLY don’t like to discuss this nomenclature, because it’s weird. I did what I could.

V&A museum 17th century long hood (coif) made of linen with stripes of reticella down the side, bordered by punto in aria

Okay, so, reticella was the direct precursor to needle lace (well… so was nalbinding, knotted lace, and netting, but different research topic for different day) and is a form of cutwork (carefully removing threads in fabric and then replacing them with decorative stitching instead) that got more and more ornamental and eventually evolved into punto in aria (first unknotted needle lace) which is entirely made by hand. However… sometimes, ‘punto in aria’ is used to refer specifically to non-geometric punto in aria designs (otherwise clumped together as ‘later’ punto in aria) that generally have more support, but still no true ground. When people are making that distinction, true needle lace that is solely geometric is also referred to as ‘reticella’. ‘Reticello’ is just a spelling variation on ‘reticella’ but I have seen it both ways.

Smithsonian 16th-17th century linen wide trim of geometrical punto in aria

Smithsonian 17th century English or Spanish band of linen punto in aria that features floral scrollwork motifs

MET 17th century non-geometric linen punto in aria band featuring floral scrollwork motifs

While it’s possible to find some form of geometric needle lace/reticella/‘early’ punto in aria being made at most periods after the 17th century, the method was lost several times and had to be relearned (rich people are cheap, the upper middle class isn’t much better). (Needle lace regularly went in and out of fashion and the styles changed regularly based on region.) The only time geometrical needle lace really made a resurgence in fashionable circles was late into the 19th century, when the method was learned and distributed once again.

Smithsonian 19th century linen tablecover made of a checkerboard pattern of punto in aria and reticella cutwork

Because it was often worked in cotton, whereas the original was worked in linen (yes it was because of sharecropping and enslavement) and no one could be *absolutely sure* it was worked the same way as the original (and to sell to people as both ‘new’ and ‘traditional’) it was (re)named aemilia ars. Aemilia Ars was name of the Italian society that repopularized this style. The patterns they used are often later punto in aria designs (the ones that are less geometrical). So that’s why this needle lace can go by several names, based on my research and understanding.

Smithsonian Aemilia Ars Society made fragment of linen needle lace border, early 20th century, featuring mythical royal motifs and topped by a lacemade crown

I have no idea if working it in linen (which I do) or silk changes the nomenclature. (I don’t think so, but this is already confusing.) I’ve seen it several different ways and I don’t think there is a set definition anymore, but feel free to correct me if you know more!

And that’s how a wide swath of needle lace and cutwork embroidery is considered the same (unless it isn’t).

(It’s one of the few subsets of needle lace that isn’t named after where the tradition and stitches originated.)