Ibercaja Foundation has commissioned a cloak embroidered in gold and silver for the Virgin of the Pillar, commemorating the entity's 150th anniversary. The piece, designed by the Seville workshop Orobordado, was created by eight artisans since last October. It uses techniques from the Spanish Baroque and is loaded with symbolism representing Aragon. It is on display in the Patio de la Infanta until May 25 and will be delivered to the basilica on May 28, the exact date of the foundation's anniversary.
Eight artisans and Baroque techniques: how this textile work was made 🧵
The Orobordado workshop applied traditional methods of the Spanish Baroque, such as raised embroidery on velvet and the use of laminated gold and silver threads. Each artisan worked manually for seven months, using frames and specialized needles to fix the precious metals. The process includes twisting the threads and openwork of the pieces, all supervised to ensure the symmetry of the Aragonese motifs. The result is a 1.5-meter-long textile weighing around eight kilos.
The Virgin will have more gold than a bank's profit statement 💰
The Virgin of the Pillar will debut a cloak with more carats than some bank accounts. While savers look at their statements with sadness, the image will display gold and silver that would rival a Swiss bank. Of course, the embroidery yields no interest or commissions, although it surely withstands inflation better than a fixed-term deposit. At least, if the Virgin needs liquidity, she can always pawn the threads.