portiere

A portiere is a curtain that hangs across a doorway. While curtains are typically used at windows to control light and drafts, portieres specifically serve as doorway coverings. They are often made of heavy material and hang in ornamental folds.12

Historically, portieres have been used as room dividers, dating back to classical antiquity. Evidence suggests their use in ancient Olynthus, Pompeii, and Herculaneum, with depictions also found in Early Christian mosaics and medieval manuscripts. During the Victorian age, portieres, along with other heavy curtains, contributed to the ornate and sometimes crowded interiors of the time.2