Tapestries have been used for hundreds of years to provide beautiful wall hangings and warm up the house too, especially in pre-central heating days. The greatest artists have contributed to the design of tapestries, the most famous example being that of Raphael whose original cartoons for the set of tapestries illustrating the lives of Saints Peter and Paul (and meant to be hung in the Sistine chapel where they are occasionally shown) are part of the Royal collection on display at the V & A museum in London.

Tapestries have generally been regarded as works of high artisanship but not of artistry. Raphael’s cartoons, for example, are labelled as artistry but the tapestries weaved from them in Belgium are regarded as artisanship.

The originality of Attiliana Argentieri Zanetti, whose exhibition continues at Bagni di Lucca’s Casinò daily from 6 to 8 pm, is that she has returned tapestries into the…