Italy, East Asia and Silk. One hundred years of a relationship (1830–1940)

Abstract

During the early nineteenth century Italy became the second biggest world exporter of silk thread. To improve productivity in silk cultivation a number of Chinese and Japanese silk production techniques were tried and when Europe was struck by a ruinous and incurable silkworm disease (1845–1880) to keep domestic silk production running Italian experts went to Inner and East Asia to purchase large quantities of healthy silkworm eggs. Eventually Japanese silkworm eggs were seen as the best choice and exported consecutively to Italy for some twenty years in a row. As well as trade connections, cultural ties between Italy and Japan were developed as well while from the late nineteenth century Italy showed much interest in Chinese silk production too. Two expeditions were sent there, the first 1914 lasted for about one year while the second was from 1932 to 1937 and was headed by an Italian expert who was recruited by the League of Nations to revive and modernize Chinese silk production.