Tessuti del mondo

The history of textiles, more than any other handmade good, is the history of human ingenuity. From the very first needles used tens of thousands of years ago to the high-tech fibres of today, from textiles as a productive and social reality to their use as a form of artistic expression, textiles have been fundamental to human existence, prized and valued by every culture. Chinese silks, Indian cottons, tapestries from Flanders, dyed cloths from South America: over the centuries the appeal of colours and styles has given life to trade and cultural exchange, and in some cases has even incited wars.
This innovative work by Mary Schoeser presents a chronological study of textiles throughout the world from antiquity to the present day, illustrating the techniques and the materials, their social function and their symbolic value.
This is an indispensable text in the exploration of this vast and fascinating topic, and is supported by numerous colour images.