Extensively illustrated, this is the first accessible publication on
the history of tapestry in over two decades.
Woven with dazzling images from history, mythology and the natural
world, and breath-taking in their craftsmanship, tapestries were among
the most valuable and high-status works of art available in Europe from
the medieval period to the end of the eighteenth century. Over 600
historic examples hang in National Trust properties in England and
Wales - the largest collection in the UK.
This beautifully illustrated study by tapestry expert Helen Wyld, in
association with the National Trust, offers new insights into these
works, from the complex themes embedded in their imagery, to
long-forgotten practices of sacred significance and ritual use. The
range of historical, mythological and pastoral themes that recur across
the centuries is explored, while the importance of the 'revival' of
tapestry from the late nineteenth century is considered in detail for
the first time. Although focussed on the National Trust's collection,
this book offers a fresh perspective on the history of tapestry across
Europe.
Both the tapestry specialist and the keen art-history enthusiast can
find a wealth of information here about woven wall hangings and
furnishings, including methods of production, purchase and distribution,
evolving techniques and technologies, the changing trends of subject
matter across time, and how tapestries have been collected, used and
displayed in British country houses across the centuries.
