Review article

Dubrovnik Lace (Point de Raguse): Origins, Techniques, and Attribution in a European Context

Mateo Miguel Kodrič Kesovia ; University of Dubrovnik, Department of Art and Restoration, Dubrovnik, Croatia *
Katarina Nina Simončič ; University of Zagreb Faculty of Textile Technology, Zagreb, Croatia *

* Corresponding author.

Abstract

Dubrovnik lace, historically known as Point de Raguse, represents one of the most intriguing phenomena in the history of European lace-making. Although highly esteemed and widely recognised in European artistic and commercial circles during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, its origin, manufacturing technique, and surviving material evidence remain insufficiently understood. This paper analyses historical, archival, and scholarly sources relating to Dubrovnik lace, with particular emphasis on its technical characteristics, terminology, and the cultural and historical context of the Republic of Ragusa. Special attention is devoted to the interpretations of various scholars who associate this lace with Italian, Greek, and local Dalmatian traditions, as well as to the question of its possible production, distribution, or commercial reattribution. The paper also examines the influence of social, economic, and political factors, including trade relations with Venice and the Ottoman Empire, together with the decline of lace production following the earthquake of 1667. The aim of this study is to synthesise existing knowledge and scholarly interpretations while demonstrating the complexity of attributing Dubrovnik lace within the history of European textile craftsmanship.

Keywords

Point de Raguse; Republic of Ragusa; needle lace; reticella; textile history; Mediterranean trade networks; attribution

Hrčak ID:

351000

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/351000

Publication date:

15.9.2026.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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