|
Woven tapestries were popular wall decorations in Greek and Roman
times as well. Though none have survived, they can be seen in the
backgrounds of paintings and on pottery that does survive from
those ages.
The art of tapestries flourished during the Medieval years. The
most famous centers of the art were in France and in Britain at
Canterbury, but there were lesser centers throughout the European
world. It was during this time that the most famous surviving
tapestries were created - the so-called Bayeaux tapestries, and
the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries. There was another upsurge of
popularity for tapestries in the late 1800s when several Europeans
undertook to restore and preserve historical tapestries.
When most people think of tapestries, they think of those popular
medieval European designs, with lush floral backgrounds woven into
the fabric of the wall hangings, and stylized figures. They
frequently depicted hunting, combat or mythical themes. Modern
tapestries take as much from impressionist painting and modern art
as they do from traditional themes. The colors are softer or
brighter, the figures more natural, the themes as wide and varied
as your imagination. Modern work in tapestries shows the influence
of African tribal art, East Indian weaving and Native American and
Mexican styles of rug weaving.
If you're looking for a dramatic piece of artwork to accent a wall
in your home, you'll find that modern tapestries have a richness
and luxury that a painting simply can't match. To help you choose
the right piece for your walls, interior decorators recommend the
following:
* Choose tapestries that suit the scope of your room. A large bare
wall in an open, airy room can handle a large-scale tapestry that
would overpower a smaller room.
* If the room has busy patterns in the upholstery or carpet,
choose strikingly simple tapestries. There are some beautiful
series that feature a single flower on a plain background with a
harmonizing border, for instance.
* For an unusual accent in a stairwell, hang a narrow tapestry on
the facing wall. Choose one with colors that blend the tones used
on both floors.
Decorating with woven tapestries is a tradition that goes back to
Egyptian times, but modern tapestries have given a new twist to
the tradition that simply makes them timeless!
For more information on
tapestries
or to choose from a wide range of rugs and rug products select
from the menu options below: |
