Monday, April 25, 2011

Famous Works Of Art In Tapestries Can Show Off Really Well On Your Walls

By Stacy Mar


From the beginning of the Medieval era, Europe has been the world's center for tapestry production. The famous and major tapestries known today were made in Europe. It was in Europe where the resurrection of the art of tapestry began.

Tapestries in Europe were used for decorative purposes and, during winter, for insulation. Later on, there became a sign of nobility. Kings had tapestry for their insignia, emblems, or coat of arms over or behind their thrones. This was considered as symbol for authority.

This textile art of weaving reached new levels during the 14th century in Europe, mostly seen in France, Germany and Switzerland. Two centuries later Europe's center for tapestry production became Flanders.

The artist William Morris and his company, together with designer Edward Burne-Jones, began creating tapestries in the Medieval styles in the 1800's and 19th century. Morris & Burne-Jones have created scores of important tapestries. Many of these designs are still being replicated today.

Highlighting important events in history and as well as enhancing the arts and literature brought huge popularity to the European tapestries. The Battle of Hastings in 1066 is shown in The Bayeux Tapestry. This is a very popular French work of art, which illustrates when Normandy invaded England.

"The Hunt of the Unicorn", which is a seven-part woven work of art about the hunt to capture the powers yielded by the horn of the unicorn. "The Lady and the Unicorn", is another popular work, depicting the five human senses and adds the sixth sense of love or more commonly known as desire.

William Morris includes several tapestry pieces on Camelot and King Arthur, The Knights of the Round Table, The Quest of the Holy Grail. This theme produced an enormous amount of work in their European workshop. The most notable the quest for the Holy Grail, which is the chalice that Jesus drank from and was to hold magical properties.

European tapestries are popular around the world today because of their history. William Morris and other European weavers made it all possible for the mass reproduction of these tapestry wall hanging masterpieces. There are also many, many great and beautiful tapestry replicas of various European famous artists artworks.

Getting replicas of European tapestry masterpieces is a great way to decorate one's house and at the same time own artistic masterpieces that are otherwise not accessible to the common public. Owning European tapestries is like owning a piece of history.




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