How The Met and the Hispanic Society revived 17th-century Spanish style

The glamor and style of the golden age remain.

In a quiet corner of the Hispanic Society Museum & Library, a black velvet dalmatian shimmers under careful scrutiny. This 17th century ecclesiastical gown, embroidered with metallic thread and velvet appliqué, is a rare survivor from Spain’s Golden Age. Its revival—thanks to a collaboration between the Hispanic Society and The Metropolitan Museum of Art—provides a window into centuries of craftsmanship, fashion, and the cultural ambition and dedication that continues to preserve it today.

A rare glimpse of Spanish Golden Age style

“Very few secular garments have survived from this period, but many examples of ecclesiastical garments have survived,” explains Dr Amanda Wunder, curator of the exhibition. Spanish Style: Fashion Illuminated, 1550–1700. “However, this black velvet dalmatian is exceptionally rare. Black was everywhere in Spanish dress, but black clothing and textiles rarely survived for centuries due to a so-called ‘natural vice’: the materials used to dye fabrics black tend to destroy the Textile over time. So this unique garment is as close as we can get to seeing Spanish clothing with our own eyes. In the 21st century.”

Ecclesiastical vestments reflected Spain’s global and artistic ambitions. “They were made from the same luxurious silks and embellishments used to make elite dress, and this stunning black and gold Dalmatian reflects the dramatic, opulent aesthetic that defined imperial Spanish fashion,” says Wunder. “Spain’s global ambitions were reflected in the striking black and gold color combination created literally with the fruits of empire: fabrics were dyed a deep black from Mexican logwood (campeche) and gold was of course the prize sought by the conquerors. The gallows originated during the reign of Philip II (1556–1698). It is interesting to note that black and gold went out of fashion under Philip IV (1621–1665) period, but it survived in ecclesiastical fashions, as we see in this garment.

Centuries of craftsmanship and style

The Dalmatian has a complex history that speaks to today’s audience, especially in a time when sustainability is a key concern in fashion. “This garment was made in the late 17th century from embroidered black velvet that had been made at least a hundred years earlier,” explains Wunder. “The black velvet was embroidered with a pattern of ogives filled with interlocking flowers, a pattern that imitates the popular woven textile designs of the time; so the embroidery is really a rich trompe l’oeil, which would have fooled the eye into looking like a woven textile from a distance. That this embroidered velvet had fallen out of fashion when it was reused during the fashion and autumn. A new garment in the late 17th century shows how valuable textiles were at this time. It also shows how the black and gold color combination survived for so long.

The tunic—probably part of the ecclesiastical set—was further enhanced with baroque embroidery: heavy gold work on the collar and cuffs and ornate embellishments on the garment, rectangular panels at the front and back of the skirt. “You can see this accumulation aesthetic in the interiors of Spanish churches, which combine each new layer of history to create a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts,” notes Wunder.

Origin and style: from a Spanish workshop to an American collection

The Dalmatian’s journey to the United States began at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1912, the suit—along with a number of other historic textiles—was sold to the American collector and philanthropist Henry E. Huntington through Raimundo de Madrazo y Garreta, who acted as a broker. The Dalmatian had originally belonged to the collection of Cecilia de Madrazo, Raimundo’s sister, a respected collector of historical textiles.

Cecilia had acquired the garment after the death of her husband, Mariano Fortuny Marsali, in 1874. She personally auctioned certain pieces, including this dalmatian, in his studio, with the intention of preserving them for posterity. With this trade, the Dalmatian left Spain for the Huntington’s collection in the United States, joining other European treasures that would later form part of a larger effort to share and preserve Spanish art outside of Europe.

Textile historian Roca Cabrera notes that this costume exemplifies the golden age of 19th-century textile craftsmanship: “The period was marked by passionate historians, artists and collectors whose fascination with historical fabrics directly inspired their creative work – from painting and dress to wallpaper design.”

Conservation: Science meets art and style

Conservation required both scientific precision and artistic sensitivity. Conservators Martina Ferrari and Giulia Chiostrini from The Met’s Textile Conservation Department worked on-site at the Hispanic Society, stabilizing the fragile fibers with custom silk crepeline, fine polyester mesh, and meticulous hand-stitched supports.

“The Met’s conservation work was essential for the exhibition – thanks to them, the only preserved garment that brings Spanish style to life was included in the exhibition,” Wunder emphasizes.

For the Hispanic Society, the timing was strategic. “Our exhibition plan is like a virtuous circle, designed in such a way that it leads organically to regular rotations of the pieces of the collection,” explains CEO and director Guillaume Kientz. “This helps ensure collection care in all our areas, techniques and equipment. spanish stylewe could program Dalmatian conservation, but also initiate a comprehensive collection assessment and relocation of our textile collection.”

Style and cooperation between institutions

The partnership between The Met and the Hispanic Society is long-standing and diverse. “We have had a very happy and long-standing relationship with The Met since the beginning because the Huntingtons were generous donors to this museum,” notes Kientz. “In recent years, they have conserved some of our most important paintings, we have shared and co-directed research programs… loaned to Met shows… and we are always happy to support other institutions in their efforts to promote and preserve Hispanic cultures.”

Wunder adds that The Met’s involvement deepens the curatorial story. “Thanks to the conservation work, the exhibition presents the costume itself and brings the Spanish style to life in a way that would not be possible otherwise.”

Style and textiles as a cultural diplomat

“This project reminds everyone that textiles are a big part of everyone’s life, from the day men and women decided to dress up until today,” notes Kientz. “As such, textiles are rich with memories that lead to fascinating representations of hybrid techniques, material pairings and innovative forms. All these are the result of exchanges and encounters – and that is cultural diplomacy.”

Faith, Style, Fashion and Art

Spanish Style: Fashion Illuminated explores the dialogue between religion, fashion and art in 16th and 17th century Spain. “Religion permeated all aspects of Spanish life – including fashion, as we see in the portraits of fashionably dressed men and women kneeling before images of the Virgin and saints, and in the stunning collection of devotional jewelry on display,” says Wunder. “Similarly, fashion thoroughly penetrated the Spanish Church, as can be seen in the sculptures of the Virgin Mary dressed in rich clothes fashioned according to court styles. However, the relationship between fashion and religion was not easy, as the Church had a long-standing moral opposition to fashion, which was condemned as vice and a distraction from spiritual matters. During the early modern period, there was always a lot of war between fashion and war. the end.”

The Dalmatian embodies this intersection: a sacred garment infused with dramatic, luxurious aesthetic qualities that symbolize imperial Spanish style.

A living legacy of style

The make-up remains part of the Hispanic Society’s collection and joins other works on display for the first time. “All but one of the songs are part of Hispanic’s collection, but many of them are coming out for the first time, so yes, we’re going to preserve them and take good care of them for future generations,” Kientz concludes.

Through centuries of creation, collection and preservation, the black velvet dalmatian now shines once again. It brings together 17th-century Spanish artisans, 19th-century collectors and 21st-century conservators, offering contemporary audiences a tangible encounter with the history (and style) woven into silk and gold.