The art of textiles is one of the oldest forms of human self-expression. Various researchers agree that the development of textile technology did not occur simultaneously in the Old World (Europe and Asia) and the New World (the Americas) (Condra 1). The choice of materials, manufacturing methods and techniques, as well as the patterns and ornaments indicate cultural, social, religious and political distinctions of different peoples and cultures.
The process of textile production is called weaving. When it comes to the history of textile, it blends together the history of “fibers and cloth, such as wool, cotton, linen, etc., as well as the history of fine, luxury, decorative textiles, such as silk; the fine art of weaving as well as weaving as an industry and object of trade; the technology of textiles as well as its aesthetic, “fine art” aspects” (Jefferies et. al 38). Every single fabric had a different application, be it in clothes or decorative art, depending on the region where the textile was produced.
For example, in Iran, the climate allowed people to wear lighter clothes, and so the woven fabric was used mostly for decoration and the creation of the famous Persian carpets, while in the Andes, woven ponchos and other items were the necessary means of protection from cold (“chiri (cold) appears every night at elevations of 14,000 to 16,000 feet where frost, hail, and snow are frequent, and warm protective clothing is essential for existence” (Heckman 53). Let us review the diversity of textile on the example of three pieces from different epochs and cultures.
The highlights of the renowned textile culture of the Middle East are Persian carpets. The piece to be reviewed is the woolen hanging with embroidery, Qajar period (1779–1925), 19th century, Iran, Rasht (“Hanging, Qajar period” par. 1). In the history of Iran, the Qajar Dynasty under the reign of Agha Muhammad Khan ruled in Persia from the late eighteenth century until 1925. The preceding period known as Safavid is considered the Golden Age of Persian textile, which means that Qajar art stems from an impressive background.
According to Willem Floor, the textile industry was the most important economic activity after agriculture in Qajar Persia. The art of carpet weaving was transmitted from generation to generation and was considered the most significant family value. Initially, carpets were woven at home for personal use or as a gift. Only in the 3rd century BC the workshops and manufactories of Persia began the production of carpets for sale. Since most families could provide themselves with clothes and fabrics, the international trade in textile “served mainly to satisfy the desire for luxury and more comfort rather than to cater for the needs of the common people” (Floor 11).
The amount of carpets produced in Persia exceeded all the other carpet-weaving centers. Qom, Nain, Tebriz, Isfahan, Gabe, each of these Persian cities had its own carpet secrets of carpet weaving (“The Persian Carpet” par. 2). For a skilled specialist, it takes a glance to determine the precise place of carpet manufacture. The analysis is made based on the colors and patterns, the type of wool, the ground, density of the carpet, and the node type. The hanging in question was produced in the Caspian city of Rasht, “known to have supplied the Safavid court at Ardebil and excelled at the art, hence Rasht embroidery (rashti-duzi) developed into a unique craft” (“Hanging, Qajar period” par. 2).
It was used as a prayer-niche hanging. The tree with its tiers depicted on the carpet alludes to Sufism, whereas the birds, creatures that link the Earth and the Heavens, symbolize the divine guidance in the ascent of the believer’s soul in prayer (“Hanging, Qajar period” par. 2). Birds could also serve as a metaphor of love, while “the winding branches, sinuous stems, and abundant blossoms on carpets and fabrics spoke to the Persian appreciation of beauty and form” (Dusenberry and Bier 82). The author of the piece is unknown.
The second item to be considered is a piece of brocaded silk entitled Yellow Gros de Tours with anemones and lilacs. Designed by Jean–Pierre Séguin (Séguin et Cie) in 1811, this piece was intended for the fourth petit salon of the apartment of Napoleon I at Versailles (“Yellow gros de Tours with anemones and lilacs” par. 3). Just like the Persian hanging, this cloth was not used in apparel but in interior decoration; in this case, it was used to cover furniture.
It depicts anemone and lilac on a mustard-yellow background dotted with red diamonds. The silk piece was produced by Lyon silk manufacturers, known collectively as the Grande Fabrique, who brought an unsurpassed degree of beauty and quality to the fabrics due to being sustained by the commissions of the Garde-Meuble (institution responsible for the decoration of state residences) (“Yellow gros de Tours with anemones and lilacs” par. 2). The history of French silk dates back to the Middle Ages. In the footsteps of the rich Italian cities, which became the largest manufacturers of luxury fabrics, Lyon occupied a similar niche in the French market.
The Consular Government of Lyons offered a royal charter for the development of trade in Lyon to the silk merchant from Piedmont, Étienne Turquet (Terpstra 214). Starting from the 16th century, Lyon became the capital of the European silk trade. After gaining confidence, Lyons silk manufacturers decided to refuse the original oriental styles in favor of their own designs, which mainly comprised of landscapes (“On the Silk Roads” par. 8). Due to the style popular in France during the period of the Restoration, the brocaded silk mentioned above uses more abstract pattern interspersed with flowers. Brocade is a heavy silk fabric embroidered with threads of gold, silver and their alloys with other metals.
The third piece of textile to be reviewed is a cotton and wool Serape from Mexico, Saltillo (1880–1900). The main difference between this item and the two already mentioned textiles is the fact it was not intended for interior decoration. From the eighteenth century onward, the large serapes, or men’s wearing blankets, were made in northern Mexico and were worn primarily by affluent horsemen (“Saltillo Serape” par. 2). According to Lynch and Strauss, a Serape is constructed from two matching rectangles sewn together lengthwise (262). The present piece is called Saltillo serape; it is named for the prestigious weaving center in the Mexican state of Coahuila (“Saltillo Serape” par. 2).
Serape design comprises of the three parts, such as center, field, and border. There is a big lozenge in the center, which draws from Middle Eastern motifs, although it has no resemblance to the pattern of the prayer-niche hanging that was reviewed earlier, although both pieces were created in the 19th century. In the pre-Columbian times, textiles in Mexico were woven of vegetal fibers such as cotton and ixtle, the fiber of the maguey, or agave plant (“Saltillo Serape” par. 2). The advent of Spaniards in the 16th century enabled the use of new materials, such as wool, and horizontal mechanical looms. (“Saltillo Serape” par. 2)
Being created in approximately the same period, the three pieces, such as the Persian hanging, the French brocaded silk, and the Mexican serape stem from strikingly different cultures. The Persian hanging and the French Gros de Tours were used for interior design, while the serapo was a piece of clothes worn by men. The application of these works of art suggests different attitude to handwork; for example, in addition to the religious aspect, the Persian piece was used for visual appreciation. Once woven and hung on the wall it was never touched again, implying some sacral significance to it. In contrast, the brocaded silk and serapo were used in everyday life.
The silk was seated on, and the serapo was casually thrown on the shoulders. In the case with the brocade, it hints at certain disparagement in the abundance of luxury, whereas the Saltillo serape may indicate a certain distinction of the men who wore it. Conserving the traditions, each of the works shows a level of skill and great attention to details inherent in handicraft around the world.
Works Cited
Condra, Jill. The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Clothing Through World History. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 2008. Print.
Dusenberry, Mary M, and Carol Bier. Flowers, Dragons and Pine Trees. New York: Hudson Hills Press, 2004. Print.
Floor, Willem. The Persian Textile Industry in Historical Perspective 1500-1925. Paris: Éditions L’Harmattan, 1999. Print.
“Hanging, Qajar period.” Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 2012. Web.
Heckman, Andrea M. Woven Stories. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 2003. Print.
Jefferies, Janis, Diana Wood Conroy, Hazel Clark. The Handbook of Textile Culture. London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2015. Print.
Lynch, Annette, and Mitchell D Strauss. Ethnic Dress in the United States. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2014. Print.
“On the Silk Roads.” Saira & Eric. n.d. Web.
“Saltillo Serape.” Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 2006. Web.
Terpstra, Nicholas. Cultures Of Charity. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 2013. Print.
“The Persian Carpet.” LUXMag. LUXEMAG – luxury magazine. 2008. Web.
“Yellow gros de Tours with anemones and lilacs.” Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 2006. Web.