Medieval Tapestry – Symbol of Wealth and Power
The Art of Weaving Beauty in Silk, Gold and Silver
May 6, 2009
During the Middle Ages, tapestry was one of the principal and most popular artistic forms. Owning tapestries often signified social status and wealth which resulted in tapestry collections being built up by European monarchs and nobility. As the European tapestry market flourished, tapestries were not only regarded as beautiful objects but became a highly marketable commodity.
Tapestry Function
Tapestry is one of the oldest forms of textiles. It is a large and thick woven fabric designed as a wall-hanging for residences of the wealthy as well as for important public buildings.
Tapestry was used as an item of furnishing for insulation, for covering openings and for enclosing private spaces. For instance, privacy in the birth chamber could be created by hanging tapestries around the bed. However, Medieval tapestries also served as the means of religious instruction to the illiterate in the13th and 14th century churches.
Another purpose of tapestry was associated with the prestige of its owner. Its production required specialist skills, long-term commitment and expensive materials were used. Since they were portable and foldable, tapestries often accompanied their owners when moving between residences as a means of comfort.
Tapestry Technique
The main tool used in weaving is the loom with the weavers sitting along the front, next to each other. The frame to be filled with the body of tapestry is intersected by fixed parallel plain coloured threads called warps, around which the coloured threads called wefts would be woven into a pattern. Yarns of silk threads, and threads wrapped in gold and silver added value to tapestries.
While medieval weavers used simple sketches of the design that could be gradually adapted as the weaving proceeded, Renaissance weavers worked according to specific instructions from the outset.
First, the initial design called the small cartoon is drawn on paper or parchment. Then the approved design or the large cartoon is drawn on cloth, and later in the early 16th century on paper.
In the weaving stage the large cartoon is cut into strips which are then pinned against the warps and the outlines of the design are traced by the weavers. After that, the strips are placed underneath the loom for the weavers to copy the design. As the weaving progresses, the strips are gradually covered by the tapestry. The fineness of warp threads and their closeness to each other determine the richness of detail in the final product.
Tapestry Themes
Early medieval tapestries usually depicted Biblical scenes, especially those designed for cathedrals, churches and monasteries. Royalty and nobility would also commission themes closely associated with their lifestyle. Myths, allegories and scenes with working peasants were also common. Themes of battles, tournaments, hunts as well as family heraldry translated into tapestry defined the patron's desire to display his power and wealth.
Late medieval 14th century tapestry themes were characteristic for their representations of nature. These so-called verdure tapestries depicted landscapes rich in naturalistic details such as hills, streams, rocks, trees, foliage and fauna.
Representations of court life continued to be woven along with the life of local governments as well as allegorical scenes and mille fleurs (thousand flowers) tapestries with background filled with tiny flowers.
Tapestry Centres
The art of tapestry is traditionally associated with the Northern Europe, specifically Flanders (present day regions of France, Netherlands and Belgium). The first important centre of tapestry weaving was Paris in the 13th and 14th century. From the end of the 14th century there were several established centres of weaving. The most significant of these was Brussels where weaving is recorded as early as 1377.
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