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Medieval Tapestry,
When It Comes To Medieval Tapestry... It has been said although tapestry weaving goes as far back as the ancient cultures of the Egyptians and the Inca, that European weavers brought the art of tapestry weaving to its all time height during medieval times. It is widely accepted that the production of tapestries was introduced to Europe in the Middle Ages by the Moors when they established themselves in Spain. The center of tapestry production was located in France by the 11th century. Early tapestry production was carried on in monasteries and convents, because the church recognized the importance of exhibiting Bible stories, through the use of these tapestries, to the common people. As time went on, in Paris, tapestries became the symbol of status for the powerful and wealthy as the art quickly spread through the secular community, by the 13th century. In this same time period, for the first time, the tapestry industry had been established, as tapestry guilds were organized. During this period in time, it is believed that as many as fifteen thousand craftsmen were employed in tapestry weaving. This artful craft was passed on from father to son. To become a master tapestry weaver it took an average of twelve years. With the exception of spinning the yarn, women were not allowed to participate in the manufacturing of tapestries. Many of these skilled craftsmen were forced to move to Flanders, known today as Holland and Belgium, with the on come of the Hundred Years War. More general uses for tapestries, as more common people commissioned their production, was not only to use them for wall decoration, also, tapestries were used to partition rooms, prevent drafts, privacy around beds and insulate from the cold. Some of the popular subjects for medieval tapestry art were landscapes, allegories, battles, sports, legends and myths as well as Biblical stories. Not only did the craftsman have to be an expert weaver, but the art of dying was also an essential skill to be mastered. In medieval times, because skilled weavers produced dyes from plants and other natural materials, their range of colors was less than twenty. Just for illustration, red dye was extracted from poppies, pomegranates or the madder plant. Generally, silk or wool yarn was used in the production of most tapestries. For decoration, silver and gold threads were widely used. The production of a medieval tapestry was a slow process. Often taking two months to weave a square foot. On the most part, large tapestries were a group participation. Each member of the group was assigned a particular section of the tapestry to weave. As each section became a finished product, they were pieced together at a later date. To create the designs in the medieval tapestry, manuscripts or sketches that they prepared, which were examples of their own personal view and creativity, in order to design each tapestry. This is contrary to the methods used in the Renaissance period, during which artists created full size drawings for a more exact, detailed design reproduction. The definition of tapestry: Tapestry is a form of textile art. It is woven by hand on a weaving-loom. It is weft-faced weaving, which means that all the warp threads are hidden in the completed work, unlike cloth weaving where both the warp and the weft threads are visible. The end result will be either a design or picture. In the middle ages, two types of weaving looms were used. These two weaving looms were a a high warp (haute-lisse) loom and a low warp (basse-lisse) loom. Constructed of an upper and lower support between which the warp threads are fixed. Weaving is made vertically in this way. Later came an improvement called the basse-lisse loom, where the warp is stretched on a horizontal plane. This loom causes the weaver to lean over the tapestry. Tapestries were woven with the reverse side only visible to the weaver, who did not see any of his work during the weaving process. I hope I have provided for you some interesting background on the medieval tapestry. You will find many great works of art under this category. These tapestries go well in many different applications. There is something very special about the art that came out of the Middle Ages... Medieval Tapestry With warm regards,
____________________________________________________________________________ Click each picture below for more information. For More Information on These Medieval Tapestries and More, Click Here.
Click each picture above for more information. For More Information on These Medieval Tapestries and More, Click Here. ____________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ Related Articles from Our Library: Wall Tapestry - A Fresh Breath in Time Tapestry Wall Hangings - Individuality Personality Charm Floral Wall Tapestry - Textures of an Art Form Wall Tapestry When You Want a Classic Tapestry - A Style Just Right for You How to Hang Your Wall Tapestry When You Have Choices _______________________________________________________________________
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