Tapestries

Collectibles -> Linens, Fabric & Textiles -> Tapestries

Tapestries are more than just beautiful wall hangings, they’re woven art that served to tell stories in ancient times. The Odyssey and the Iliad were both “told” in woven form as large, rich tapestries. Every period in history has had major events chronicled in tapestry form. Even the Old and New Testaments of the Bible have been the inspiration for large and detailed woven tapestry art. Once a major art form, large tapestries were owned by the wealthy and the aristocracy, with castles often decorated with dozens or even hundreds of these creations. The Parthenon was even believed to have tapestries decorating its walls.

Religious and romantic stories were told in tapestries in the 13th and 14th centuries in what’s known as gothic art. While beauty and artistry were important, the story itself was the focus, with religious symbolism and spirituality being the most common themes of the stories. Woven artwork had gone into a lull for several centuries, with large pieces of art done chiefly by painters and by embroidery. But the gothic art movement brought woven art back into the mainstream.

Renaissance art, on the other hand, that became popular in the 16th century thanks to artist like Raphael, focused on image and illusion more than storytelling. The woven art of tapestries followed the flow of other art into pictorial images in the Renaissance style.

Paris was the tapestry capital of the world, with France being the top and most important tapestry producer from the Middle Ages to the Hundred Years War. During the war, many tapestries were lost to looting and pillaging, or burned for the precious metals they contained in the silver and gold thread.

Most of the ancient tapestries still available today are dated from the 16th century Renaissance period through the 19th century, and are usually made from Italian silk, Picardy wool and silver and gold threads from Cyprus. These original tapestries are chiefly found in homes of the royalty or very wealthy, or in museums, as they command high prices and are extremely valuable. True tapestries are easily identified by a look at the back side of the pieces to see the weaving.

Reproduction tapestries, while they sound like little more than copies or fakes, command high prices as well and can still be valuable to collectors who want the original art in a similar form. Those tapestries that can’t be accurately copied in a true jacquard weave are done by a method of hand-silk-screening and painting that can take years. They are often more expensive that woven reproductions because of the time and effort involved. To get a truly detailed reproduction of a large tapestry, creating the perfect hand-made screen can take 1 to 4 years.

Important considerations when shopping for tapestries is to make sure you understand whether the tapestry is an original or a reproduction. Whether it’s woven or tediously hand-painted is an important point that can greatly affect the value of the tapestry, as well.

Originally posted 2008-10-13 14:00:01. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Blog Traffic Exchange Related Posts
  •  Thomas Kinkade Thomas Kinkade Collectables -> Collectibles -> Disneyana Thomas Kinkade is a living, American artist whose work is so popular today that many people have no idea they even have Thomas Kinkade artwork in their homes in some form or another. There seems to be no middle ground when it comes his......
  • Persian RugsPersian Rugs Collectibles -> Linens-Fabric-and-Textiles -> Rugs Iran is the country of origin of the Persian rug, and still the largest producer of carpets and rugs in the world today. In Iran, investors purchase Persian carpets the way some investors buy gold and diamonds; they know the value will only increase with......
  • Silver Tea SetSilver Tea Sets Collectibles -> Housewares-and-Kitchenware -> Tableware The first silver tea set was created in 1790, almost 100 years after the first known silver tea pot was created. That first silver tea pot is now in a London museum and is much smaller than what we think of as a tea pot......
  • Wall TapestryWall Tapestries Dealers -> Textiles-Linens -> Tapestries A wall tapestry can be a beautiful addition to your home, whether it's a reproduction or an antique piece. A tapestry is much more than a woven cloth that covers the wall, it's often a piece of history that tells a story, and speaks......
  • Grand PianoGrand Piano Dealers -> Musical Instruments -> Keyboard The first pianos to be called “grand” were manufactured in 1777, and soon became status symbols that the wealthy and affluent all wanted to own. A grand piano can command a room. Usually, it's the largest piece of “furniture” in a room, and......
Blog Traffic Exchange Related Websites
  • IMG_0260What to Look For in Foreign Currency If you are a serious coin collector you will probably start to look into foreign currency for your coin collecting ventures. There are plenty of coins to be had, both new and old, when looking into foreign currency. Paper currency also plays a large an important role in foreign monies,......
  • russian5kopecks17713 Ways to Preserve Collectable Coin Value There are more people than ever getting started with coin collecting. While not everyone is getting into coin collecting so that they can make money, it is always a good idea to preserve the collectable coin value. This is important not only because you will be able to sell your......
  • bluePlayer Profile for Double Bassist Mike Milligan While few people can name a double bass player (though many can name a bass guitar player) some bassists actually break out and perform solo bass. Some even go on to record an entire album of solo bass, like double bassist Mike Milligan. When many people think of a bass,......
  • offense2009 Offense Preview What To Know: With Harvin and Murphy gone, the offense is going to be missing their sure thing stars for receiving, but there is plenty of speed to be burned at running back and so the line should be able to grow into something that is terrific. The quarterback situation......
  • grouseSuccessful Grouse Hunting Grouse hunting is popular sport for hunters who like the challenge of hunting birds. Grouse hunting often gets grouped in with partridge and quail hunting because there are ranches and land with fairly enclosed areas that offer grouse hunting tours and guided hunts. Grouse hunting is a sport that many......
Online Stores Online Stores

Wall Tapestries

Dealers -> Textiles-Linens -> Tapestries

Wall TapestryA wall tapestry can be a beautiful addition to your home, whether it’s a reproduction or an antique piece. A tapestry is much more than a woven cloth that covers the wall, it’s often a piece of history that tells a story, and speaks about the period in which it was created. The weaving used to make tapestries was considered one of the major art forms in ancient times, and while many new, modern tapestries are done with machines and focus more on the design than the craftsmanship, you can still find reproductions that are done painstakingly by hand in much the same way original tapestries were created.

Entire stories were told in wall tapestry in times past. Homer’s works were represented in tapestry form, as were other important books, stories from the Bible, and major historical events. Castles and compounds often displayed tapestries, as the aristocracy often owned hundreds of them. Tapestries were status symbols, speaking of wealth and affluence, and their impressive size made them perfect for covered stone castle walls and hallways.

The subject of wall tapestry changed with the times, moving from telling stories of battles and religion to more romantic subjects around the year 1200, during the Gothic period. This revived wall tapestry as an art form after a period of very little creation aside from painting and some needlework. Romantic stories were depicted in each tapestry, with each piece telling a full story. During the Renaissance, the subjects of wall tapestries changed again along with the paintings of the era, to symbolism and imagery. There was less focus on the need to tell a story, but instead they were designed to make an impression.

Most of the best tapestries were produced in Paris from the Middle Ages onward. But during the Hundred Years War, many were destroyed, either from the simple destruction of the violent time, or because many were made with thread that contained precious metals like silver and gold, so the tapestries were burned to retrieve the valuable metals within them. A wall tapestry you might find today would most likely only date back to the Renaissance. Most of these valuable pieces of art are owned by the wealthy, or they’re house in museums. It’s unlikely that the common collector could afford such a piece.

Fortunately, a wall tapestry reproduction is still an amazing piece of art, so much so that they’re quite expensive also, though only a fraction of what a real antique wall tapestry would cost. The only ones worth considering are the ones that are handmade and are true to the original. While you can buy “tapestries” today that are relatively cheap, they’re turned out quickly and lose much of the charm of the original. A true reproduction wall tapestry contains such craftsmanship, it can take up to 4 years to complete. When you find a wall tapestry online ask to see a picture of the back—the design on the back will show you whether it’s truly a handmade piece.

Originally posted 2008-11-14 05:18:33. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Blog Traffic Exchange Related Posts
  • Lladro CollectiblesLladro Collectibles Collectibles -> Decorative Collectibles -> Lladro-> Figurines When you look at the beauty and grace that is customary with Lladro collectibles, it’s hard to believe that the company originally specialized in jugs and basic kitchenware. It wasn’t until the mid 1950’s that the three original founders of the company, who......
  •  Thomas Kinkade Thomas Kinkade Collectables -> Collectibles -> Disneyana Thomas Kinkade is a living, American artist whose work is so popular today that many people have no idea they even have Thomas Kinkade artwork in their homes in some form or another. There seems to be no middle ground when it comes his......
  • Cairn Terrier CollectiblesCairn Terrier Collectibles Collectibles -> Animals -> Dog-> Cairn Terrier For those that love this intrepid breed, cairn terrier collectibles are a wonderful expression of their devotion. Whether you are shopping for yourself, or you need a gift for a lover of this breed, there are countless types of cairn terrier collectibles that......
  • menorahMenorah Collectables -> Religions, Spirituality -> Judaica The Menorah is an ancient symbol of the Jewish faith, representing the faith and people for almost 3000 years. While even those of us who aren't Jewish recognize this symbol when we see it, many don't understand its significance. Menorahs are most commonly seen......
  • toycarVintage Car Collectibles Ever since the beginning of the automotive industry, there have been miniature toy style versions of many popular cars, and these have been popular not only among children but also collectors as well. Vintage car collectibles are toys that make excellent collectibles because they are small and easily capable of......
Blog Traffic Exchange Related Websites
  • Art Deco FurnitureArt Deco Furniture Antiques -> Periods and Styles -> Art Deco Art deco furniture antiques are highly sought after and are often very unique pieces. If you love this time period, or if you are simply looking for furniture that transcends the every day mundane design, art deco furniture is the perfect choice.......
  • coindisplayWays to Display Your Coin Collection Your coin collection is an incredible body of work, a collection of different types of miniature art that are as fun to look at as they are to collect. Coin collecting is not the only important and enjoyable part of the overall collecting process, as displaying your collection can be......
  • SideboardSideboard Dealers -> Furniture -> Cabinets-Armoires-Cupboards A sideboard is a piece of furniture used to display China or to set food out while dining. The sideboards we’re familiar with first appeared in the 1700s, but became more popular in the 1800s when more people had dining rooms to eat in, and......
  • moneyThe Ease of Collecting New Paper Money Collecting money is something that a lot of people find a lot of joy in. Part of the joy is being able to find all of the different pieces that you want to add to your collection. This often means scouting out old pieces which have changed hands several times.......
  • papermoneyThe Debate on Collecting Paper Money Paper money is an often overlooked collectable, as most people focus in on coins when they look to collect currency. Paper money can be more difficult to find and more difficult to work with, which is what drives many to coins. With that being said, there is something special about......
Online Stores Online Stores

Email Updates

1920s antiques barbie dolls best places bottle of wine certificate of authenticity chardonnay Collectible Bottles Collectibles collections country of origin craftsmanship Decorative Arts Decorative Collectibles different kinds ebay Figurines flea market flea markets garage sales glass collectibles limited editions love mint condition money older models online auctions personal collection popular items popularity porcelain private collections red wines rugs sentimental value shape special editions time period varietals vogue white wines wine bottles wine cellar wine collection wines