Freetrading Articles

One of the oldest types of woven textiles is the tapestry, which became well known during the Middle Ages. The tapestry is best defined as a thick material that has colored threads woven throughout it in order to create a picture or design. This is completely different than embroidery work.

One of the oldest types of woven textiles is the tapestry, which became well known during the Middle Ages. The tapestry is best defined as a thick material that has colored threads woven throughout it in order to create a picture or design. This is completely different than embroidery work.

There were many people during the Middle Ages who used tapestries as windows drapes or as insulation around outer doors. Others used them as canopies for beds in order to protect the bed from any objects falling in through the roof. These decorative fabrics were often even big enough to cover the sides of the bed as well, giving some much needed privacy.

The rich and wealthy with mansions and palaces used the tapestry as a partition to divide a large hall into smaller quarters. It was also used as one medium to portray religious and Bible stories and other tales of war victories. Kings and other noble men used to carry tapestries with them when they traveled, as a display of their wealth. The intricate and detailed designs woven in the tapestries made them an excellent work-of-art in high demand.

There was an extensive amount of work that had to be put into making a tapestry. To begin with, an artist would have to paint the original design, which was called a cartoon. The next step would involve gathering the proper plants needed to dye threads in the colors needed. Once the threads were dry, the tapestry was woven together by a team of weavers, a project that often took years to complete depending on the size of the finished product. Some were an incredible 20 foot by 80 foot. The art of weaving was a craft handed down from generation to generation.

Fighting, hunting and landscapes scenes were most common among the designs. Some kings used to take artists along with them in wars and on hunts to make sketches that could be later used for the design in the tapestries. As the designs became more detail oriented and complex the desired amount of colors to be dyed for the threads rose to 300 different colors. This is when the tapestries began to look like paintings with frames.

Prior to the Hundred Years' War (1337-1453), Paris was the source of the highest quality tapestries. During the war, however, many weavers had to flee France, and a good number of tapestries were destroyed or lost. When peace finally settled on the land once again, weavers again took up the trade and flourished until the dawn of the French Revolution in 1789. During that upheaval, tapestries were often burned and looted for gold and silver threads.

In 1801, however, everything changed. Joseph Jacquard, a weaver of silk, invented the Jacquard loom, which made use of punch cards in order to improve the functionality of the textile loom. The cards made the weaving process somewhat automated, and even unskilled weavers were able to produce some of the most exquisite patterns ever seen. Some skill was needed in order to run the loom efficiently, but there was no longer a need for months and months of tedious hand work to be done. Along with this semi-automation came the ability to offer less expensive tapestries to an ever widening market.

Our museums from around the world house these famous works-of-art of the hand-woven tapestry wall hangings. It is believed the Medieval tapestries are the largest group on display, today. The price for a hand-woven tapestry wall hanging is immense. There is still much work involved in making these fine woven goods with the Jacquard loom, however the time involved is not nearly what it once was and therefore making them quite affordable.

We should thank Joseph Marie Jacquard for his invention of his fine loom, as this allows for the continued creation of these beautiful woven fabrics at affordable prices. This opens the market for many, many more to take advantage of this opportunity to own their own tapestry wall decor. It truly is a delightful way to display stylish and sophisticated works-of-art in our very own home. Enjoy.