Mariano Fortuny, born 1871 - died 1949. Dress fabric. Venice, Italy, ca. 1929. Museum number: CIRC.810-1967. Victoria & Albert Museum, London © V&A Images

Silk velvet. Height: 45.5 cm, Width: 37.0 cm. 

Mariano Fortuny (Mariano y Madazo, 1871-1949) was born in Granada, Spain. He studied painting before moving to Paris to study sculpture with Rodin and then to Germany to study chemistry and dyes. He moved to Venice at the beginning of the 20th century and developed, and patented, processes for printing metal pigments onto fabrics in such a way that they imitated the textural effect of woven patterns.

Fortuny was constantly seeking to improve the manufacturing processes which he himself had developed, but his textiles rely more on his artistic abilities than on mechanical techniques. It is said that he never used the same design or colour combination in any two lengths of fabric. This design is based on a North Italian brocaded velvet of the 15th century.