Overview
A journey through textiles and art
In Como, in the spaces of the splendid Villa Sucota, the Fondazione Antonio Ratti (FAR) is housed. The non-profit organisation was founded in 1985 and is based on the western shore of Lake Como, in an 18th century mansion. Antonio Ratti, a textile collector, who has turned his passion into a research centre for textiles and contemporary art, created the foundation, merging culture and technology.
Over 40,000 items and more than 1,500 sample books make up the varied collection of FAR's 'Museo Studio del Tessuto' (MuST). Here, visitors can learn about and appreciate the long history of textiles, from the 3rd to the 20th century, its transformations and evolutions, and its social significance. A roundup of articles ranging from archaeological textiles to 20th century experiments, from artefacts from the Republic of Congo to the velvet fabrics of the Tuscan Renaissance and Indian cashmere shawls.
What was once Antonio Ratti's private collection is now an itinerary that takes you on a trip through historical eras and the language of art, making fabric in all its forms available to the entire community.
