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Its name - from the Latin umbra - recalls the fact that the umbrella was born to offer shelter from the sun and not the rain. Developed in the Eastern world to serve the higher social classes, the parasol was born at least 3000 years before the birth of Christ. Ancient Egyptians used to mount it on their chariots or on sticks carried by slaves: made as a multicoloured fans it was composed of palm leaves and papyrus. At the same time in China Emperors had made a habit of covering their heads with folding parasols made of painted rice paper which soon became cult objects. Finally in India and Burma the ancient kings and princes displayed large and elaborate umbrellas in their throne rooms, as well as in Hindu temples to pay homage to their gods.
Noble women of ancient Greece and especially the Roman matrons made it an element of coquetry freeing it from its elitist and devotional meaning. After a period of decadence in the Middle Ages, the umbrella then returned in vogue in the Western world between the 16th and the 17th century when trade with the East became more frequent. But it was only in the 18th century that the umbrella became used especially as a shelter from the rain. Launched in Paris in 1710 in its collapsible version by Jean Marius and exhibited on every occasion in London by Jonas Hanway who cleared its feminine connotations, the umbrella became increasingly popular in the 1800s.
Surprisingly, the shape, as well as the basic concept behind the umbrella design, has not changed much since then. Its materials, its weight and its size made its evolution in the 20th century. It seems that instead of focusing on the umbrella itself, creators looked more to the accessory's accessories, creating a whole range of fabrics and design pieces dedicated to the umbrella.
Umbrella stands, for example, have become a cult piece present in every entryway. There is no designer who hasn't tried to solve the problem of where to make the umbrella drip or where to store it so that it doesn't fall or slip. The minimalist proposals launched in recent years by Nendo are innovative, the brass ones of the 50s are elegant and the hand-decorated ceramic ones are really unique. And even stylists and artists seem not to have forgotten the umbrella in their creations: mini versions for ladies' handbags appear, as well as gentleman's sticks carved and sculpted in silver. In short, the umbrella seems to be always weatherproof...
If you want to know more, you can visit the only museum in the world dedicated to this long-lived accessory, the museum of Gignese, on Lake Maggiore in Italy, where you can admire rare pieces created with precious materials by Italian and non-Italian umbrella-makers.
