Bruges city map in lace

This 1:1230 scale map is located on the Dijver. It is made entirely in lace .

Lace is a handicraft product. It is a typical European fashion phenomenon.

Lace making is an age-old, laborious technique, yet few people master this technique . Because what is lace anyway? The material lace itself is a precious material and used to be affordable for the richer class. In the 17th century, bobbin lace was an important source of income for many women. In the city of Bruges alone, no fewer than 6,000 women out of a population of 40,000 were engaged in creating true works of art. Until now, lace has been inextricably linked with Bruges . Because lace making was so popular among the people of Bruges, a special variant even developed, namely the Bruges lace or point-de-fée . Today, the hourly wage unfortunately makes work unaffordable.

During the colonization of Congo , lace techniques were taught by sisters in the mission posts. In these schools, black women and children produced large quantities of lace for meager wages. This competition was a serious blow to the Belgian lace industry , which soon bled to death.

Due to the limited knowledge of many customers , it is easy to sell machine-made lace as real lace . Recognizing lace types is a true specialization in itself. Many are tempted and sometimes cheated. A well-known technique is modern lace coloring in tea to make it look older. Extortionate prices are sometimes paid for old pieces, which often exceed the material value of a piece. Some types are so labour-intensive that the hourly wage is impossible to settle. Lace is still a big industry, but no longer in Flanders. For old items, certificates are issued, a guarantee certificate. Often large pieces are cut into smaller details that are sold separately in lots at high prices. As a result, large valuable pieces are often lost . Collectors only buy pieces that are in good condition and of good quality.

Lace is the name for different types of lace that are classified according to technique and characteristics. There are two main basic types :

- bobbin lace , which is made by hand using bobbins and pins inserted into a bobbin lace pillow.
- needle lace , which is made by hand using needles. This type of lace requires a different material and bears no resemblance to bobbin lace.

To arise

In the 13th century Poperinge and Ypres were big names in the international cloth trade . The Popering cloth had already penetrated into Genoa. In the 16th century there was a lot of poverty and Emperor Charles wanted to do something in 1550 to combat the grinding poverty. Then came the years of famine followed by the plague and by 1565 grain prices had reached an incredibly high peak. In the district Poperinge and Ypres tackled the hard economic crisis at the end of the 15th – early 16th century with another textile industry , the women started making lace out of dire necessity to save their families from poverty. Even young children learned to make lace to help their parents. In reality, they were handed over to unscrupulous exploiters , traders, who made lacemakers work for starvation wages.

We see these fine fabrics for the first time in a painting by Hans Memling , who was born in Seligenstadt on the Main ca.1440 and died in Bruges on 11 August 1494.

Willem Vandenameele