Showing posts with label Gobelins Tapestries. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gobelins Tapestries. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Why Tapestries Have Become a Popular Home Décor Choice
For millennia people have used tapestries and textiles to decorate their homes and today that trend continues. Wall tapestries are one of the most accomplished textile-based art forms and come from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds lending them a diversity often envied in traditional art mediums.
In recent years tapestries have become a much talked about element of home décor and they are being used in a variety of interesting and unique ways and many well-known artists are licensing their artwork to be made into tapestries. Any subject matter from nature and landscapes to fantasy, impressionist and modern art can be used to create a tapestry providing the weaver has the skill to do so. These add an entirely unique dimension to this traditional form of art and modern day art lovers enjoy the blend of traditional and modern found in tapestry art.
Versatile materials with a modern twist
Traditional tapestries, particularly those from the Medieval Tapestry era, were made from wool. This provided a strong basis for applying dyes and pigments and had the added benefit of being hardwearing and easily available. Over time other fabrics have been added to the mix, but the basic principle of natural materials has remained with tapestry weaving, even to the present day, with the very best examples of tapestry art often using traditional materials and weaving techniques.
Natural fabric tapestries, usually incorporating wool as a main constituent, hold dyes and pigments well, creating a vitality and richness that shows why wall tapestries have been an important and popular art form for centuries. More recently tapestries now include synthetic fibers that help add strength to the original material. Woollen tapestry wall hangings when mixed with synthetic polymers have the distinct advantage of preserving the traditional warmth of wool tapestries, but add a long-lasting robustness that would have made them the envy of Medieval weavers.
The very best quality modern wall tapestries make the most of this blend of old and new, using new improved fibers to reproduce classical art and famous tapestry art from the past. With the improvements made to pigments and dyes in the last century we can now easily buy faithful reproductions of centuries-old tapestry designs; unseen in such vibrant colors since the time they were originally designed.
As well as traditional materialschenille tapestriesis a popular choice for modern tapestry wall hangings mainly because it is a flexible material that is soft and adaptable. It can be used in a broad range of household décor items, including wall tapestries and throws. When decorating your home chenille tapestries can add an elegant finishing touch which also has a degree of versatility that is hard to accomplish in other ways.
A chenille piece can often be hung as a wall hanging and used as a throw, with all the range of design and color options you find in traditional wall tapestries. However the real popularity of chenille tapestries derive from the fact that they warm the room and make it feel cozy and comfortable.
A decorating challenge
Some spaces can present a decorating challenge. A room may feel too small while others feel large and cold. Sometimes smooth, modern walls don’t quite gel with antique style furniture or accents. Like any form of high quality art tapestries can aide the informed home décor enthusiast and open a window to the past, expand living space both emotionally and visually, create the basis for a theme, add color and give your living space individuality, personality and charm.
Furnishings that are otherwise bland will assume character when complimented with a beautiful tapestry. Choosing a tapestry and using it creatively can minimize and solve a decorating problem by presenting a flash of color or opening a window to another time or place. With a vast range now available it is easy to find a wall tapestry that will provide you with many years of viewing enjoyment.
If a room is small and needs something to make it feel less cramped, consider choosing a tapestry that will bring a breath of fresh air into your living space. This could be a city, land, seascape or a traditional tapestry design such as Medieval. Choosing a horizontal tapestry will help add length to a room or try opening a space by choosing a tapestry with doorways and windows. These types of tapestries give an illusion of added space by leading the eye of the viewer outward.
If your room is large and cold, scale it down by hanging a series of smaller tapestries together. This creates the illusion of a smaller space and can bring a large, blank wall down in size. Hanging small tapestries together will also add warmth to your room. When creating this illusion be sure to choose tapestries of a similar theme.
Charming, versatile and beautiful
Wall tapestries, often rich in history, can transport us to another time and place and reduce the stress of today’s busy world. They encourage reflective and tranquil moments, enlighten the human spirit and are great subjects of conversation. They also elevate our personal space, add charm and coziness to our homes and are balm for the soul.
All of these qualities have made wall tapestries a popular choice amongst art lovers for centuries. Today with modern textiles and fabrics and centuries of tradition, art and design behind them many are finding wall tapestries as charming, versatile and beautiful as ever.
Copyright © The Tapestry House, all rights reserved.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
A History of Tapestry: part two
It was the Andean Indian cultures of ancient Peru who produced the most accomplished weaving in pre-Columbian America. The technique of Tapestry weaving among these peoples dates back to the beginning of the Christian Era, and was well established by the 6th and 7th century. Tapestry was used to decorate garments and was often integral to the fabric itself. Surprisingly, due to the dry desert climate, a number of these weavings survived in Peruvian coastal burial sites. Examination of these relics reveals some of the most skilled and varied techniques of weaving ever present in any culture.
The study of Spanish chronicles and ancient Peruvian pottery inform us that the weaving was generally done by greatly skilled women. Such was their skill that some of the relics discovered have been found with 150 to 250 weft threads per square inch. Most of the tapestries are polychrome as the use of natural dyes made for a vast range of colors. Strong colours were favored over more subtle graded tones, especially in the Inca period. The designs were often of geometric patterns, or human and animal figures. Plant motifs were uncommon.
The viceroyalty of Peru, after the Spanish conquest, imported looms and the practice of tapestry weaving was continued throughout the colonial period. The Inca and mestizo people developed a surprising blend of Indian traditions and European Influences that is still witnessed today.
It is probable that climatic conditions in Central America and Mexico impeded the survival of tapestry relics so it is not certain whether these weaving techniques were present in other pre-Columbian cultures.
From Ancient Egypt to the Middle Ages
The Tapestries of the Native Egyptian Christians, (Copts) are of particular interest. Produced between the 3rd and 12th century they provided a link between the art of the Middle Ages in Western Europe and the art of the ancient world.
In the 4th century the practice and ritual of mummification was abandoned and the dead were buried in their daily clothes (tapestry trimmed) or wrapped in discarded tapestry wall hangings ; as a result many fragments from the 5th to the 7th century have been discovered in the Egyptian burial sites of Antinoe, Saqqarah and Akhmim. Most of the early Coptic tapestries were woven with native designs often related to the Egyptian funerary cult of Osiris and included the wine amphora and the grape vine or ivy. Because of their relevance to revival in a life after death these motifs were considered appropriate. Other favourite subjects included the lions and the hares, hunter on horseback, mythological creatures, dancing figures and baskets of flowers and fruits. Christian figures and biblical stories are rare.
Tapestries were also used for the ornamental decoration of Christian Churches but few of these tapestries survive today.
Although a few silk weft tapestries have been preserved the majority of Coptic tapestries were woven with woolen wefts on linen warps. In the 7th and possibly 8th century embroidered borders or margins often supplemented the tapestries ornamentation. The earliest Coptic tapestries were done using the silhouette technique whereby a stunning effect was created by use of a single dark color for the design or motif against a lighter background color. Polychrome tapestries became increasingly common after the 5th century.
Copyright © The Tapestry House, all rights reserved.
The study of Spanish chronicles and ancient Peruvian pottery inform us that the weaving was generally done by greatly skilled women. Such was their skill that some of the relics discovered have been found with 150 to 250 weft threads per square inch. Most of the tapestries are polychrome as the use of natural dyes made for a vast range of colors. Strong colours were favored over more subtle graded tones, especially in the Inca period. The designs were often of geometric patterns, or human and animal figures. Plant motifs were uncommon.
The viceroyalty of Peru, after the Spanish conquest, imported looms and the practice of tapestry weaving was continued throughout the colonial period. The Inca and mestizo people developed a surprising blend of Indian traditions and European Influences that is still witnessed today.
It is probable that climatic conditions in Central America and Mexico impeded the survival of tapestry relics so it is not certain whether these weaving techniques were present in other pre-Columbian cultures.
From Ancient Egypt to the Middle Ages
The Tapestries of the Native Egyptian Christians, (Copts) are of particular interest. Produced between the 3rd and 12th century they provided a link between the art of the Middle Ages in Western Europe and the art of the ancient world.
In the 4th century the practice and ritual of mummification was abandoned and the dead were buried in their daily clothes (tapestry trimmed) or wrapped in discarded tapestry wall hangings ; as a result many fragments from the 5th to the 7th century have been discovered in the Egyptian burial sites of Antinoe, Saqqarah and Akhmim. Most of the early Coptic tapestries were woven with native designs often related to the Egyptian funerary cult of Osiris and included the wine amphora and the grape vine or ivy. Because of their relevance to revival in a life after death these motifs were considered appropriate. Other favourite subjects included the lions and the hares, hunter on horseback, mythological creatures, dancing figures and baskets of flowers and fruits. Christian figures and biblical stories are rare.
Tapestries were also used for the ornamental decoration of Christian Churches but few of these tapestries survive today.
Although a few silk weft tapestries have been preserved the majority of Coptic tapestries were woven with woolen wefts on linen warps. In the 7th and possibly 8th century embroidered borders or margins often supplemented the tapestries ornamentation. The earliest Coptic tapestries were done using the silhouette technique whereby a stunning effect was created by use of a single dark color for the design or motif against a lighter background color. Polychrome tapestries became increasingly common after the 5th century.
Copyright © The Tapestry House, all rights reserved.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
GOBELINS TAPESTRY- THE OPULENCE AND SPLENDOUR OF THE ROYAL COURT
Some of the most detailed and exquisite tapestry in the world was produced at the Gobelins Factory in Paris exclusively for royal palaces. During the seventeenth and eighteenth century the factory was at the height of production and it was at a time when the world looked to France for artistic inspiration. Creating detailed and distinguished tapestries for Royal Palaces during the eighteenth century the work exuded wealth, extravagance and luxury and adorned the walls of the Palace of Versailles.
Origins and techniques
The Gobelin workshop began life in 1450 as a dyeing factory in a Paris suburb, founded by Jean Gobelin, and emerged into a tapestry weaving workshop with the arrival of two Flemish weavers, Marc de Comans and Francois de la Planche after they had been called to the Court of Henri IV in 1601.
Tapestries were used to furnish walls and give a sense of grandeur to a residence. Works emerged designed by Rubens, Simon Vouet, Goya and other leading artists as the factory produced some of the greatest tapestries of the day and of all time, commissioned for royalty. By 1661 the Gobelins workshop became a centre of excellence when Louis XIV’s finance minister, Jean-Baptiste Colbert merged the existing Parisian workshops into one site, their role being to provide furnishings for the Royal palaces including the Royal Bedchamber of Louis XIV. Often a tapestry would take years to produce and gives an insight into the economy at the time as wealthy courtiers committed money for a long term project. With Versailles being the height of inspiration, fashion and design, the use of tapestries at the Royal Court and their exquisite workmanship ensured their popularity throughout Europe.
The technique used was very specific and detailed, and eventually became known as Gobelin stitch or weave, and is a technique in itself. It is very different from other patterned weaving in that no weft threads are used along the full length of a fabric. Each unit or the background is stitched with a weft thread and only where that colour appears in the design. No knots are used in Gobelin technique. An apprenticeship for a Gobelin worker lasted eight to ten years, largely because they also dyed their own tapestry wool. The Gobelin colours still exist today as a legacy from the dyeing industry, the most well known being Gobelin Blue. Three high warp or haute-lisse looms which stood vertically and a low warp loom were used to make a tapestry, often using several people on one loom. A designer would paint the cartoon or design onto canvas which would then be interpreted and woven by the artisans. These craftsmen worked from the wrong side of a tapestry, using a mirror to see the emerging masterpiece. Typically, a Gobelins tapestry would be surrounded by an ornate frame, also woven, which gave a trompe d’oeil impression to the finished masterpiece.
Seduction by tapestry
One of the most famed courtesans in French history, Madame de Pompadour, had significant influence at the Palace of Versailles and at the Court of Louis XIV. She was famed for her extravagant commissioning of art in the form of paintings, porcelain and tapestry to seduce powerful men at Versailles including the king. One of her protégés, Francois Boucher, became master of the Gobelins Factory and some of his most famous work was made into tapestries for Madame de Pompadour. These include The Rising of the Sun and the Setting of the Sun as mythical decorations for her residence at the Chateau de Bellville.
Held to ransom
One of the rare complete Gobelin collections, sometimes called the Indian Hangings, can be seen at the Grandmaster’s Palace in Malta. The tapestries themselves were adapted from paintings at the request of Louis XIV and purchased by the Grandmaster of Malta. During their journey to the island they were seized by pirates off Sicily and a large ransom paid to ensure their safe delivery in Malta. This work was completed in 1710 and depicts scenes from South America and Africa, virtually unknown continents at the time. Wild animals emerge from the tapestry, giving the impression of a savage and untamed land, whilst highly colourful birds bring an exotic air to the work. The mixing of the colours ensured a detailed and vivid perspective to the tapestries which captured the imagination of those who saw them, full of the jungle, natives, animals, plants and hunting scenes. This fine work outside France helped spread the popularity of the Gobelins factory throughout Europe.
A testament to history
As the eighteenth century drew to a close the opulence that had adorned the Royal Courts of France was no longer fashionable and gradually fell from favour. The splendour and luxury of the royal palaces cocooned its inhabitants in tapestry covered walls, when outside on the streets of Paris a different picture of life was emerging. The French Revolution destroyed many palaces and fine homes in France and executed or exiled the clientele on which the industry depended. With them went a number of tapestries, condemned to burn as the Terror reigned. More simpler and practical designs emerged with the work of designers such as William Morris, enabling a wider population to own a tapestry and for more to be economically affordable. The Gobelins Factory is still in existence in Paris, having adapted to the centuries of change, and works on specially commissioned designs for state buildings, still retaining the air of exclusivity.
Origins and techniques
The Gobelin workshop began life in 1450 as a dyeing factory in a Paris suburb, founded by Jean Gobelin, and emerged into a tapestry weaving workshop with the arrival of two Flemish weavers, Marc de Comans and Francois de la Planche after they had been called to the Court of Henri IV in 1601.
Tapestries were used to furnish walls and give a sense of grandeur to a residence. Works emerged designed by Rubens, Simon Vouet, Goya and other leading artists as the factory produced some of the greatest tapestries of the day and of all time, commissioned for royalty. By 1661 the Gobelins workshop became a centre of excellence when Louis XIV’s finance minister, Jean-Baptiste Colbert merged the existing Parisian workshops into one site, their role being to provide furnishings for the Royal palaces including the Royal Bedchamber of Louis XIV. Often a tapestry would take years to produce and gives an insight into the economy at the time as wealthy courtiers committed money for a long term project. With Versailles being the height of inspiration, fashion and design, the use of tapestries at the Royal Court and their exquisite workmanship ensured their popularity throughout Europe.
The technique used was very specific and detailed, and eventually became known as Gobelin stitch or weave, and is a technique in itself. It is very different from other patterned weaving in that no weft threads are used along the full length of a fabric. Each unit or the background is stitched with a weft thread and only where that colour appears in the design. No knots are used in Gobelin technique. An apprenticeship for a Gobelin worker lasted eight to ten years, largely because they also dyed their own tapestry wool. The Gobelin colours still exist today as a legacy from the dyeing industry, the most well known being Gobelin Blue. Three high warp or haute-lisse looms which stood vertically and a low warp loom were used to make a tapestry, often using several people on one loom. A designer would paint the cartoon or design onto canvas which would then be interpreted and woven by the artisans. These craftsmen worked from the wrong side of a tapestry, using a mirror to see the emerging masterpiece. Typically, a Gobelins tapestry would be surrounded by an ornate frame, also woven, which gave a trompe d’oeil impression to the finished masterpiece.
Seduction by tapestry
One of the most famed courtesans in French history, Madame de Pompadour, had significant influence at the Palace of Versailles and at the Court of Louis XIV. She was famed for her extravagant commissioning of art in the form of paintings, porcelain and tapestry to seduce powerful men at Versailles including the king. One of her protégés, Francois Boucher, became master of the Gobelins Factory and some of his most famous work was made into tapestries for Madame de Pompadour. These include The Rising of the Sun and the Setting of the Sun as mythical decorations for her residence at the Chateau de Bellville.
Held to ransom
One of the rare complete Gobelin collections, sometimes called the Indian Hangings, can be seen at the Grandmaster’s Palace in Malta. The tapestries themselves were adapted from paintings at the request of Louis XIV and purchased by the Grandmaster of Malta. During their journey to the island they were seized by pirates off Sicily and a large ransom paid to ensure their safe delivery in Malta. This work was completed in 1710 and depicts scenes from South America and Africa, virtually unknown continents at the time. Wild animals emerge from the tapestry, giving the impression of a savage and untamed land, whilst highly colourful birds bring an exotic air to the work. The mixing of the colours ensured a detailed and vivid perspective to the tapestries which captured the imagination of those who saw them, full of the jungle, natives, animals, plants and hunting scenes. This fine work outside France helped spread the popularity of the Gobelins factory throughout Europe.
A testament to history
As the eighteenth century drew to a close the opulence that had adorned the Royal Courts of France was no longer fashionable and gradually fell from favour. The splendour and luxury of the royal palaces cocooned its inhabitants in tapestry covered walls, when outside on the streets of Paris a different picture of life was emerging. The French Revolution destroyed many palaces and fine homes in France and executed or exiled the clientele on which the industry depended. With them went a number of tapestries, condemned to burn as the Terror reigned. More simpler and practical designs emerged with the work of designers such as William Morris, enabling a wider population to own a tapestry and for more to be economically affordable. The Gobelins Factory is still in existence in Paris, having adapted to the centuries of change, and works on specially commissioned designs for state buildings, still retaining the air of exclusivity.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
