At the Duchess’ death, the workshop was closed, but the lacemaking art lived on through the labours of the best lace makers.
In the course of time, the fame or Burano lace spread throughout Europe and was very much in demand. On his coronation day, Louis XIV of France was said to wear an original and very precious lace collar made by the Burano lace-makers in two years of patient needlework.
The Venetian art of lace-making was so valued in beyond the Alps that Catherine de Medic and Minister Colbert persuaded some lace-makers from Burano to move to France. The Royal Manufactory at Rheims produced “Punto In aria” ,the typical Burano needle lace, under the direction Of Marie Colbert, the Minister’s niece, and soon it numbered 200 Venetian lace makers among the much more numerous French workers.
Words by: Burano on line