World Art: World Textiles

Product Description

The history of textiles, more than that of any other artiface, is the history of human ingenuity. From the very earliest needles of twenty-five thousand years ago to the 'techno textiles' of today, they ahve been fundamental to human existence and enjoyed, prized and valued by every culture. Skills from China, cottons from India, tapestries from Flanders, dyes from South America, the ravishing appeal of different weaves, colours and patterns was long the motivation for trade, the exchange of ideas, and sometimes even war. Mary Schoeser's groundbreaking book presents a chronological survey of textiles around the world from prehistory to the present day, exploring how they are made, what they are made from, how they function in society, and the ways in which they are used and given meaning.