ABSTRACT
In this paper we aim to establish relationships between Italian and Portuguese Tapestry, in the middle of the 20th century, from the study of two important manufacturers: MITA - Manifattura Italiana Tappeti Artistici, and MTP - Manufactura de Tapeçarias de Portalegre. The artefacts produced by MITA were designed by some of the most prestigious Italian artist and architects of the time. The same phenomenon occurred in Portugal with MTP tapestry, designed by many known Portuguese and foreign artists. Through this research, we also can find similarities, in both countries, about the ‘Synthesis of the Arts’ idea which entailed a collaboration among painters, designers, and architects. In the case of MITA, numerous artists worked together on the interior design of transatlantic liners. In Portugal, we find this ‘Synthesis of the Arts’ concept applied in several public buildings of whose interior design MTP tapestry was an intrinsic part.
