wall tapestry

 

 

 

   The history of wall tapestry dates back centuries. It is an art form, which has grown and evolved dramatically with the passage of time. When wall hangings were initially used, they served a different purpose. When there was no central heating, houses were padded with material to insulate the residents from the cold. Gradually people began displaying their artistic talent and took to depicting stories, religion, history and nature on the material. The weaving of a tapestry required skill and artistic talent and the end product was nearly always magnificent. The love and warmth that went into making the wall tapestry revealed itself very conspicuously.

The process of creating a wall tapestry is intricate. The finer the yarn, the more intricate is the design and more durable is the fabric. The picture or design to be woven has to be incorporated with a lot of dexterity for a distinct pattern to emerge. The color of the threads, the design, the background, everything had to be preplanned. Tapestry making was the queen of arts, for this was art at its best and the artist wove magic into the fabric. Such a wall tapestry lent life to the room and a sense of practicality coupled with realism. In fact, certain Egyptian and Inca cultures actually dressed the dead with such tapestries before they were buried. Even Churches depicted stories from the bible on the walls and used the tapestries as religious wall décor. During the 13th and 14th centuries, aristocrats used these tapestries in the castles as insulation, and also around their beds. When they traveled, these woven hangings were used as symbols of prestige and status. They were regarded so much that after the war,the victor stripped the castles of their tapestries and adjusted them to suit their own doors and windows even at the cost of having to cut or join them.

Today not many tapestries are hand woven. Machines, modern yarns and techniques have contributed greatly to the revival of the art of tapestry weaving. Wall tapestries woven by the Indian tribals have beads and sequins embroidered in their work. Many wall hangings in Indian homes are made of cotton and many others are made of silk. There are even wall tapestries made of wool. The mirror work of Kutch, and those of Gujarat are spell binding. Some Appliqué wall tapestries use tiny dolls to depict figures, and tapestries from Java and Bali are fringed at the end. In some south East Asian countries, specially designed tapestries are meant to ward off evil. Thus, The history of tapestries is as vivid as the tapestries themselves. So, the next time you see a wall hanging, remember, it could be really unique.
 

Author M. Hemdev

data(c)Indian child.com. all rights reserved

  
Category  Architecture > Featured articles : wall decor wall shelves country home furnishings

HOME

All content and works posted on this website are owned and copyrighted by Indianchild.com. Author M. Hemdev. All rights reserved. No Content from our pages can be used/copied/downloaded for any use/publication/website in whatsoever manner without our written permission.