Archive for the ‘Tapestries’ Category

The History of Tapestry

Saturday, July 30th, 2011

Current info about Tapestries is not always the easiest thing to locate. Fortunately, this report includes the latest Tapestries info available.

Tapestry is considered to be a form of textile art. Unlike painting, the artist works this by hand on a vertical loom. The difference between this technique and cloth making is the fact that all the warp threads are hidden from view.

A tapestry is commonly made using cotton or wool. To make it look more elegant, others use more expensive fabrics like gold, silk or silver. Before a tapestry is made, a blueprint is first drawn by an artist and then sown by a craftsman.

The history of tapestries dates back to the Greeks after archeologists discovered samples in the desert of the Tarim Basin dating back to the 3rd century BC.

Through the years, this craft spread throughout Europe and in the 14th century, various designs were created in both Germany and Switzerland.

One organization that recognized its value was the Church which used it to illustrate bible stories to its illiterate believers. The oldest of these happen to be the Apocalypse of St John which consists of six hangings measuring 18 feet in height and 471 feet in length which took 4 years to finish.

The Hundred Years War which lasted from 1337 to 1453 forced weavers to flee from the fighting and settle in the northern France town of Arras. Here, the weavers specialized in making tapestries out of wool that they got a lot of orders from all over Europe and displayed in numerous castles and palaces.

You will only find a handful of these in France because a vast majority of the art work was destroyed during the French revolution. In the 16th and 17th century, Belgium became the center of European tapestry production.

Most of this information comes straight from the Tapestries pros. Careful reading to the end virtually guarantees that you’ll know what they know.

Modern tapestry making would never have happened without the vision of William Morris who established the Arts and Craft Movement. He did this by reviving many old crafts and later on established his own company which experts say helped revive the aging craft.

Today, there are only a handful of hand woven tapestries. If you happen to have one, you can even have them repair or restore it.

Decorative tapestry was so saleable back then because it was very easy to move around. Someone can set it up and then remove this without any difficulty.

Since there is still a demand for it now, companies that once produced this by hand have now invested in machines. Some of these are displayed in museums and if you want one for yourself, this won’t be a problem as you can now purchase these at an affordable price.

If you want a challenge, do it the old fashioned way and make this by yourself by hand. Just keep in mind that you won’t be able to finish this overnight.

The Europeans were not the only ones who used tapestries. There is evidence which shows that the Egyptians and the Incas used this to bury their dead. But despite that, it was the French that helped make this craft what it is today.

Tapestries come in different sizes and shapes so if you are thinking about decorating your home, consider getting a tapestry instead of a painting. Best of all, you don’t have to frame it so there won’t be any problem transferring this to another section of your house.

About the Author
Daniela Rosenhouse is a Contemporary Figurative Artist. She is well versed in Oil Colors, Watercolors and Drawings. Her portfolio can be viewed at http://www.drosenhouse.com

Functions of a Tapestries Inside Your Home

Sunday, July 24th, 2011

Tapestries may seem like blankets with pictures on it. But they can add so much to the room’s appeal when put up or hanged. Although it is already rare for people to be hanging tapestries in their rooms nowadays? what with the more modern artworks that have been cropping up? these olden works of arts are still wonderful room accents that can change the look of the room in one second.

Here are some of the functions that tapestries have in rooms. If you have these interior problems, think about it. Tapestries may just be your answer.

1. Bare wall
With a large bare wall and a high ceiling, the tapestries is the best and cheapest way to dress the room up and fill up the space. Although most people would want to hang a painting, sometimes buying these pieces of artwork can be very expensive especially those that are large in size. Besides, it is not often that you will find such a large painting. You will have to customized the fit by commissioning an artist to actually paint one for the wall.

Thus, tapestries are the next best alternative. They are large, long and cheaper than paintings. This is not to say that tapestries are cheap. They are not. In fact, tapestries with great detailing can be very expensive especially those that have come from Persia or the antique ones that date back from the French revolution.

If you find yourself confused by what you’ve read to this point, don’t despair. Everything should be crystal clear by the time you finish.

2. Conversation piece
Tapestries can serve as a great conversation piece when put in the living room or in areas where visitors and guests are being entertained. This is especially true if the home owner is a know traveler and the piece have been bought on one of the travels abroad. Tapestries can be really unique especially here in the United States as they are often being produced in Middle Eastern countries and those that are within the European borders. Some Asian countries are also known to produce great pieces.

3. Focal point
Tapestries like painting are great focal points in a room. In fact, if the piece is relatively great to look at, you can actually decorate the room around the picture or pattern that it has. For instance, if the tapestry has an oriental theme then furniture should be kept simple or done oriental style. On the other hand, if it is French in descent the furniture should be more of the French period.

Even the colors can also start with the tapestries being the focal point. Colors that dominate the artwork can become the central colors of the entire room. Even the general feel of the accessories and room accents? whether quirky, somber, gothic or period? can depend upon the pictures being depicted on the tapestry.

4. Room accents
Not all tapestries are large. There are some that are small in size and functions as a painting. These are often put on a frame or hanged in rooms like the library or the study. Tapestries serve to provide a unique appeal to the room as the scenes that it depict scenes that are interesting. Besides with tapestries not being a common thing in the United States, they add a certain uniqueness to the room that can make your home a stand out from the rest of the pack.

Those who only know one or two facts about Tapestries can be confused by misleading information. The best way to help those who are misled is to gently correct them with the truths you’re learning here.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, proud owner of this top ranked web hosting reseller site: GVO

Tapestry As Home Decor

Saturday, July 23rd, 2011

This article explains a few things about Tapestries, and if you’re interested, then this is worth reading, because you can never tell what you don’t know.

Decorating a home with tapestry can be a good way of making a unique addition into any room. An interesting tapestry art can very well light up a home in so many different ways. But there is always a proper way in trying to use a tapestry as an attractive home decor. Here are the different ways to do it.

Appreciating tapestry as a decor in a home would depend on how it is being used. A lot of people can wrongly give use artificial lighting in presenting a tapestry in the room. A lot of people may think that using artificial illumination upon a tapestry may give its beauty become the focus of the room. But it does less to give the artwork justice.

A tapestry that hangs upon a wall in the room can be better viewed using only natural lighting. Natural light coming from a window or from a sun roof can be enough to help make the tapestry shine in any room. Natural lighting can be enough to enhance the details exhibited by a certain tapestry. Natural lighting can even quite better than any form of artificial lighting in trying to show the tapestry artwork better.

What’s more, natural lighting provides a tapestry with varied effects at different times of the day. The different phases of natural lighting on different times of the day seem to give a tapestry various dramatic effects as the light falls on its surface differently depending on the time of day. This effect can sometimes also affect the ambiance of the whole room, making it a more dynamic.

You may not consider everything you just read to be crucial information about Tapestries. But don’t be surprised if you find yourself recalling and using this very information in the next few days.

If used as home decor, a beautiful tapestry should have its own special place in the room. And this should be somewhere its details and beauty can be fully appreciated. Placing a tapestry on a wall properly is also important aside from how it is being illuminated. The wall is the main area where an artful tapestry is placed as a home decor. Tapestry art is a special form of art. Therefore, it should not be treated lightly like just any other type of ordinary textile.

When putting up a decorative tapestry on a wall, it is best to keep it separate from the other wall décor. Putting them together that might cause them to clash for attention with each other which might not work well in a room. It would be better to keep them occupy their own separate space so that a single object can capture one’s attention.

Another thing to consider when hanging a tapestry concerns the available wall space. The wall should not just be as big as the tapestry that will hang on it. It should have certain space allowances in order to fit quite well. Make sure that the wall chosen for a certain tapestry has enough room to fit into it with enough space left on its sides.

A good rule of thumb for hanging tapestries is to have a wall with at least four inches allowance or bigger than the tapestry in terms of height and length.

Now might be a good time to write down the main points covered above. The act of putting it down on paper will help you remember what’s important about Tapestries.

About the Author
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Types of Tapestry Designs

Sunday, July 17th, 2011

Tapestries are made of different fabrics. There is wool, cotton, chenille, silk and a lot more. Some of these look good as curtains while others are ideal to put on the wall or floor.

Regardless of what fabric you buy, stores that offer these sell this to you by the yard. The price varies on two things, the material and the design so you could be paying less than $10 or a little over $20. Here are some of the designs that you will likely find when you go out shopping.

The first is the unicorn and the reason why you will find these in stores is because it has magical and religious implications. It is magical because it represents fidelity, desire for progeny, fidelity, love and marriage. It is also religious because it represents Christ’s incarnation, passion and resurrection. One of the most famous is the Lady of the Unicorn which took more than 15,000 people to finish.

Another design is the medieval tapestry. Here, you have knights on horseback or in battle, a coat of arms and a few religious figures. This is best explained by the fact that each one artwork was human, personal and spiritual.

You also have Renaissance tapestry and by looking at it, you might even say that what you see depicted there is better than the real thing because it produces the illusion of what life should be. The original copies of these tapestries costs more than $200,000 a piece. It is a good thing you don’t have to pay for that when there are replicas readily available.

For people who are very religious, you have to get a tapestry similar to those made by Raphael. You have to remember that he created numerous tapestries often referred to as cartoons which until now can be seen in the Sistine Chapel in Rome. Here, you will get to see images which depict the Acts of the Apostles but Raphael is also known for the Madonna.

If you don’t have accurate details regarding Tapestries, then you might make a bad choice on the subject. Don’t let that happen: keep reading.

If you are a nature lover, you will enjoy getting Verdure tapestries as it depicts forests and landscapes with a few animals, hunters and mythological creatures.

Similar to Verdure tapestries are the Aubusson. This is great to have if you have a farm because the picture shows open lands and cottages in the countryside. Historians believe that this was done to demonstrate wealth and power.

Here at home, we have the American tapestry. Yes this also depicts reality but in an American setting. Some of those you seen in stores are made in Belgium while others come from China.

If you like flowers, there is the floral tapestry. Some of the designs include a bunch of flowers in a vase or wreathes. People enjoy having this in their home because it brightens and warms up any room.

A combination of floral, modern and medieval tapestries can be found in chenille tapestries. The best part about this design is that they don’t only make good wall décor but this can also be used as blankets, rugs and throws.

There are other designs to choose from should you decide to have tapestries in your home. Before you buy one, make sure that this will fit nicely on your wall or wherever else you want to put it otherwise you will have to cut it.

As your knowledge about Tapestries continues to grow, you will begin to see how Tapestries fits into the overall scheme of things. Knowing how something relates to the rest of the world is important too.

About the Author
By Chris Meagher, feel free to visit this marvelous review of The Best Spinner : The Best Spinner Review

Caring for Your Tapestries

Friday, July 15th, 2011

The following article covers a topic that has recently moved to center stage–at least it seems that way. If you’ve been thinking you need to know more about it, here’s your opportunity.

Here’s the situation, you have a centuries old tapestry that have been passed down from generations to generation in your family. It is very old and simply damaging it is not an option. You know you will be haunted if your ancestors found out that the tapestry got ruined under you watch. There are several caring tips for your tapestries that would help you maintain them so you can pass them down to your children as your parents and grand parents did before you.

First things first, tapestries were made to be hanged. So it would be best to remove the tapestries from the storage room and find a wall somewhere where you could place them. So the first caring tip that you should know is how to hang tapestries correctly. Improperly placed tapestries can and will damage them in the long run.

When hanging tapestries, you will have to consider the weight and placing the appropriate support to keep the weigh of the fabric balanced. You can use a rod to hang the tapestries or a backing fabric, both of which are provided in most modern tapestries. However, you might encounter some problems with antique ones that don’t have rod pockets sewn on the fabric. If that is the case, you might have to employ someone to fix or sew the rod pockets for you but it is important to go to persons that deal with old tapestries to avoid further damage on the fabric. Using Velcro has been recommended before but due to the weight of some tapestries, sticking Velcro on the back of the fabric might bring more damage than good.

Also, if you don’t know what you’re doing, stop. Let the experts to those stuff. One of the things that you should not do is to cut the corners. I don’t know what your reasons would be for doing that, but that is something that you should not do especially if the piece of tapestry is a really old and valuable one.

Now back to the hanging, or tapestry hanging rather. You need to consider the climate in your area as well when hanging your tapestries. If you live in a more humid environment, then it would be better to create some space between your fabric and the wall just to avoid molds growing on both the walls and the tapestry.

If you base what you do on inaccurate information, you might be unpleasantly surprised by the consequences. Make sure you get the whole Tapestries story from informed sources.

Cleaning your tapestry comes with the territory of caring for it. The reason why your age old tapestry survived and is hanging on y our wall is due to the fact that your parents and grandparents were very careful with it and used proper cleaning methods. Now, you are quite fortunate today since you have several technological cleaning innovations at your disposal.

For instance, vacuuming the tapestry for dirt is one of the basic regular cleaning that your tapestry needs. By removing the dust on a regular basis, you prevent them from accumulating on the surface. You might have to dust the fabric as well.

That’s at least the way to clean the surface of the fabric. However, when tapestries need some really thorough cleaning you will need to consult the experts. Tapestries are quite sensitive. Sometimes even plain water can proved to be damaging since tapestries are made from different materials including the threads and color dyes used.

Here are just a few caring tips for you tapestries. Hopefully you can make your own last so your little ones can enjoy them in the years to come.

I hope that reading the above information was both enjoyable and educational for you. Your learning process should be ongoing–the more you understand about any subject, the more you will be able to share with others.

About the Author
By Vapor Diva, (Freedom from Smoke-Find Your Ambition) feel free to visit her top ranked quality electronic cigarettes affiliate site: Affordable Electric Cigarette

How to Find the Perfect Tapestry

Tuesday, July 12th, 2011

You should be able to find several indispensable facts about Tapestries in the following paragraphs. If there’s at least one fact you didn’t know before, imagine the difference it might make.

Hanging a tapestry in your wall is one way to make sure that your home will be interesting. Adding this wall décor will not only make your home more expensive looking, It will also create a more eclectic and foreign ambiance.

Tapestries are great conversation pieces especially those that have unique scenes depicted. Often, it serves the function of a painting on the wall except that the tapestry is made of cloth and not painted on canvas.

But finding the perfect tapestry for your home is not as easy as you might think. Often, you will find it hard to buy the one that will suit the room that you want to put it into. Remember that though tapestries can be appealing, it can also be hard to integrate in the room’s interiors especially if the look of the room is more or less themed.

Tapestries also rarely work on interiors that are not well lighted. They can be large and the colors are often dark. Small rooms are also not good for tapestries as these often large pieces will just overwhelm the room’s size. Decorators recommend getting a tapestries for rooms that are large, with high ceiling and of course with really bare walls that can use some perking up.

How can you put a limit on learning more? The next section may contain that one little bit of wisdom that changes everything.

That is why it is important to look into the room first when buying a tapestry. Before deciding on the piece, make sure that you need to buy a piece in the first place. Tapestries do not work well with just any room. When you are not sure, you can always ask an interior decorator or even just someone whose eye for the arts is good.

If you don’t know anybody, you can always do some research over the internet and see if you can find tapestry shopping tips on websites and blogs. You will be surprised at the amount of information that you can get from the internet nowadays. If you are lucky, you can even join forums where you can get to ask somebody who is an expert on tapestries.

You can also visit your local stores and see if they have tapestries. Often, stores that sell carpets will also have tapestries in them. If you cannot find one, you can always ask people you know who are always traveling. They will be able to find you a good piece in some Asian countries like India and Malaysia, which are known for their intricate weaving industry.

If you are still lacking in information and inspiration, you can always visit the local bookstore and look for books on tapestries or interiors. That way, you will be able to see rooms that have tapestries hanging in their walls. This way, you will be able to visualize the feel and look of a tapestry inside a room. You can also get some great tips from these books. Some will even have a list of stores that you can visit for their tapestrires.

All in all, tapestries are great way to make your house unique but be careful in buying them and make sure that it will have a home in your home. Not all tapestries are great to look at. Some can be an eyesore not because of their designs but because of their fit to the room involved.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his soon to be top ranked Perpetual20 training site: Perpetual 20

Tapestry Basics

Sunday, July 10th, 2011

Tapestry is art. It can be considered as it is a unique form of art. To put it simply, Tapestry making is an art made out of textile. It is quite different from your typical ordinary rug, Tapestries are textiles woven by hand using a special type of loom. A tapestry is specially woven and depicts a colorful pattern or image with the warp threads, the horizontal ones, are usually hidden. This allows the tapestry to have a smoother surface. This makes it different from other types of conventional cloth weaving where the warp and weft threads of the textile are usually visible.

A decorative tapestry is usually woven and created with a decorative function in mind. They aim to make the any vacant space look better and brighter than it usually is. Its function can also be considered as a valuable painting that adorns a room, worthy of one’s appreciation. It adds a certain level of elegance and style to any room that also a tapestry might be able to do.

There is a long history behind the art of tapestry making. Its early origin dates back during the Hellenistic times where it was already being used to decorate homes of nobility during ancient times. There have been samples of Greek tapestry, very well preserved and found in parts of the Tarim Basin which dates back as early as 3rd Century BC.

The art of tapestry eventually spread to other parts of Europe. The art became popular in region sometime during 14th Century AD where it enjoyed a surge in production because of increasing demand popularity among the ancient elite. The spread started from Germany and Switzerland and then eventually reached France and the Netherlands as the demand for this form of textile art became even more popular.

Knowledge can give you a real advantage. To make sure you’re fully informed about Tapestries, keep reading.

The popularity of tapestry as an accepted artwork grew mainly due to its function as well as the potential of it becoming quite a piece of art. Tapestry artwork uniquely combines both its use as a common commodity dressed elegantly in art to be appreciated. But the rapid popularity of tapestry art may also have grown from the convenience that it provides for people, especially from the wealthy set during ancient times who travel a lot.

Many of those who belong to the wealthy and nobility during the ancient times usually wanted to bring along their type of lavish lifestyle along with them even during their travels. This includes a show of their wealth everywhere they go. And when it comes to ringing artwork along with them, paintings seem to pose a challenge in terms of transport. Utmost care has to be followed to make sure that valuable paintings are well protected.

With the development of tapestry, the wealthy and the nobility of ancient times found a way of bringing artwork with them with their travels without having to worry about their upkeep and care. Most tapestry can easily just be rolled up and store appropriately in a safe place, making it even more convenient.

And it may also because of this fact that the popularity of tapestry considered as art considerably increased and the industry flourished.

I hope that reading the above information was both enjoyable and educational for you. Your learning process should be ongoing–the more you understand about any subject, the more you will be able to share with others.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, proud owner of this top ranked web hosting reseller site: GVO

Tapestry Making Techniques

Friday, July 8th, 2011

So what is Tapestries really all about? The following report includes some fascinating information about Tapestries–info you can use, not just the old stuff they used to tell you.

There is a certain art in making tapestries. And in so doing there are various techniques involved in the creation of this unique work of art. To some, a tapestry may just be some piece of textile. But for the trained eye, every tapestry involves many types of creativity and imagination while it is being made. It has a certain artistry truly unique in its own art form. With this in mind, a tapestry becomes no more an ordinary commodity but a special form of artistic creation.

There are many ways in which a tapestry can be made. There are certain techniques involved in manipulating threads and color and combine them to produce quite interesting images and patterns that make them really unique. And making tapestries not only involves using the imagination and creativity but also a higher level of skill working with the material, which is textile.

There are many techniques involved in the creation of tapestries and rugs. The most notable of this is how the threads that make up the whole tapestry is placed and woven together. The techniques usually vary from where the tapestry is being made or where it originally came from.

There are some forms of tapestries that are made using a flat woven technique. Some of these techniques include brocading and embroidery. Tapestries coming from Turkey as well as some Caucasian and Turkish influenced British creations make use of the technique using what is called the Turkish knot. This is also known as the ghiordes or the symmetrical knot.

There is also another technique called the Persian knot which is typical of tapestries found in Central Asian, Indian and even Chinese tapestries. This technique produces more knots per square inch compared to the Turkish knot, thereby providing more detail and a more defined pattern. This is also known as the sameh or the asymmetric knot technique.

So far, we’ve uncovered some interesting facts about Tapestries. You may decide that the following information is even more interesting.

There is also a technique called the Spanish knot that employs the use of knots looped around single alternate warps. This enables the horizontal and vertical lines of the tapestry to become slightly rough and the diagonals smooth. This technique is usually employed in the production of Spanish carpets.

There is also another ancient technique called the Jufti knot in the production of older tapestries. This technique involves covering four warp threads in order to make a coarse weave. Rugs of this sort are usually found in 19th century and 20th Century Eastern Iran.

In choosing good tapestries, having some idea on the techniques involved in the making of such textile works of art would help give a collector the valuable knowledge of knowing the origins of a certain valuable tapestry. And in collecting such decorative tapestries also involves taking very good care of them, especially the more valuable and older types of textiles.

Carefully hanging these valuable artistic tapestries is also important to make sure that they are not damaged in the process. And since quite a number may have a weighty issue especially for those that are larger and thicker, special means of hanging them would be required.

Using simple nails can sometimes be inadequate for such magnificent tapestries hung on walls.

Knowing enough about Tapestries to make solid, informed choices cuts down on the fear factor. If you apply what you’ve just learned about Tapestries, you should have nothing to worry about.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, proud owner of this top ranked web hosting reseller site: GVO

The Value of Antique Tapestries

Saturday, July 2nd, 2011

Do you ever feel like you know just enough about Tapestries to be dangerous? Let’s see if we can fill in some of the gaps with the latest info from Tapestries experts.

When we talk about tapestries we can’t help but feel nostalgic or more precisely, feel historic. Tapestries have been around as far back as ancient Greece. The actual value of antique tapestries, therefore, is quite high and we’re not talking about the monetary value alone for that piece of textile hanging in the living room is an important witness to our history.

People used to hang huge textiles on their walls to protect them from the cold. But soon these huge pieces of cloth became more than just that. They became a medium of artistic expressions and the weaving process itself became a precise science in itself. As demand began to increase, centers of tapestry making began to emerge in various places, creating specialties and trademarks. Countries like England, Holland, Italy, and France were identified as places where unique and quality tapestries were produced. The high and the wealthy in society went to these places to commission skillful artisans for huge pieces of art. However, it was in Paris, France where tapestry making was developed into an art form.

French made tapestries were said to incorporate the use of gold threads obviously to showcase the social status of the person who commissioned the piece. It is therefore unfortunate to know that most of these French made tapestries were destroyed during the French revolution precisely because of the gold threads. The poor and the hungry harvested what ever value they can get.

Today, among the oldest surviving tapestries were those made in England during the 14th and 15th centuries. Based on what experts could gather from the tapestries themselves, the oldest ones that we know of came from Barcheston in Warwickshire. Others were from the looms of a Mortlake factory which was supposed to be been operational in the early 1600s.

Once you begin to move beyond basic background information, you begin to realize that there’s more to Tapestries than you may have first thought.

Among the more well known manufacturers back then include Arras, Beauvais, Aubusson, Feletin, Bruges, Ghent, Gobelins, and Audenarde. These were the favorites of the nobles, kings and queens of old. These manufacturers have their own trademarks and collectors must learn to discern which is which.

But an important piece of information is knowing the fact that the tapestries that came out from these manufacturers have borders which oftentimes are unique to each maker. These borders are usually the first parts destroyed in a tapestry. Therefore, finding an old tapestry with borders still in tact is a great find and can actually be worth quite a lot.

During the course of history, the designs depicted in these tapestries changed from Roman battlefields to aristocrat hunting scenes. And probably one of the precursors of change is when the church actually commissioned the great Raphael to come up with the ?Acts of the Apostles? series. This began the age where tapestries were used to imitate famous paintings and painters were included in the process of making one.

It was in the 16th century that tapestry making saw a new light in the guise of the Jacquard loom. The loom was developed in Flanders and brought tapestry making to a wider market. Suddenly kings and queens were not the only ones who can commission the work. But still, the looms were still not as ?skillful? as master artisans of the trade who have been hand weaving tapestries for years.

After reading through, you should have seen the importance and value of tapestries. The older ones are more expensive, yes, that thing is for certain. And they are also the most wealthy in terms of historical content.

That’s how things stand right now. Keep in mind that any subject can change over time, so be sure you keep up with the latest news.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his soon to be top ranked Perpetual20 training site: Perpetual 20

Tapestries, Whats in a Name?

Friday, July 1st, 2011

This interesting article addresses some of the key issues regarding Tapestries. A careful reading of this material could make a big difference in how you think about Tapestries.

Tapestries, what’s in a name indeed? Yes, there are people today who have not an inkling on what tapestries are. It would be fortunate if they don’t think of it as some pastry or some sort of dessert. Some might have been introduced to the word from the films they’ve seen or books they’ve read. But still, their understanding of what the word describes might be different from what the object really is. So let’s stop his hoopla and begin discussing what tapestries are and what they are not.

Tapestries are big wall decorative fixtures. That’s one way of simply explaining it but the definition is an over simplification of what they are, the historic significance and the impact it had to history. Wait a minute, from overly simplifying things, you might think that I’m exaggerating the importance a bit. Actually, not really.

Making a tapestry is an art form. In fact, it is one of the oldest form of textile art. If we’re going to be strict about it, a tapestry can be described as a thick piece of fabric which has intricate designs and images created by weaving various colored threads into fixed warp threads. The closely woven the threads are the more detailed the images they can produce. Now, in those times weaving tapestries is done by hand. And depending on the design and the size of one, it may take months or even years for a group of weavers to complete.

Tapestry making has been around since the classical antiquity. There are tapestries that have been handed down from generations to generations. The practice of owning a tapestry lies on the ancient tradition that the presence of a hand-woven tapestry symbolizes wealth, power, and importance.

But tapestries were hanged on the walls of the homes of the wealthy and powerful also because of another reason: to protect the inhabitants from the cold during the winter months. These are some of the reasons why from the ancient Greeks up until and beyond the Middle Ages, tapestries seem to be a constant fixture in houses especially of residences of nobles and the courts of kings.

If your Tapestries facts are out-of-date, how will that affect your actions and decisions? Make certain you don’t let important Tapestries information slip by you.

The designs began as simple and plain. But later on artists began to explore the medium. As new influence in arts began to surface, the designs with tapestries also began to be more intricate and more complicated. From simple and plain, the designs began to include group images, scenes, etc.

Among the popular images shown in tapestries include stories from the Bible, Greek mythologies, scenes of hunting, and peasants working. Sometimes, those who will commission the manufacturer of these tapestries will request that they, the owner, be included in the artwork disguised to some extent, of course.

In the 14th and 15th centuries, France was at the center of the textile industry and not surprisingly, there were lots of tapestries that came from the area. Fine wool tapestries were the specialties of the area. Unfortunately, during the French revolution, most of the works were destroyed since most of the tapestries at that time contained gold threads.

Later on, Flanders became the center of tapestry production. Today, tapestries are still being produced but the most valuable are the ones during the made from the 16th to the 19th centuries.

So, the next time you encounter the word tapestry, you won’t grope around your dictionary to find the definition. Tapestries, what’s in a name?

Knowing enough about Tapestries to make solid, informed choices cuts down on the fear factor. If you apply what you’ve just learned about Tapestries, you should have nothing to worry about.

About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit his soon to be top ranked Perpetual20 training site: Perpetual 20