The Beginning of Tapestries

Tapestry weaving has been practiced for centuries in a wide range of cultures. The ancient Egyptians and the Incas both buried people in tapestry clothing, and in ancient Greece, the most important buildings, including the Parthenon, had tapestries lining the walls. However, the craft was truly popularized by French medieval weavers in the 13th century when the church started illustrating Bible stories on them, some of which are still around today. The oldest set was woven in 1375 and is composed of six 18-foot-tall tapestries, collectively called the Apocalypse of Saint John. Tapestry weavers were centered around Paris at this time, until the Hundred Years War, when they fled north to what is now Belgium.

In the Middle Ages, the aristocracy considered tapestries to be status symbols. They were also used to insulate the walls of castles and to provide privacy in bedrooms. Royalty would take tapestries with them when traveling to different castles in order to show off their wealth and provide comfort during their travels. After battle, the victors would after take the tapestries of the losers, and these tapestries were often woven with other tapestries or cut up to fit the different windows and doors of different castles.

The tapestries that are most famous today were woven in the 15th century. As many as 15,000 people were tapestry weavers during this time. It was common for these skills to be passed down through families; fathers and sons commonly worked together on tapestries. It took roughly two months to weave one square foot of tapestry between the two of them. To dye the tapestries, they extracted the colors from insects and plants; for example, they would extract red from poppies or pomegranates.

Tapestries most often featured allegories, myths, and biblical stories, as well as simple scenes of contemporary life, such as peasants farming or noblemen hunting. Victors of battles began commissioning tapestries woven to depict their epic battles in the early 16th century. Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, even had a painter come into battle with him to provide sketches for future tapestries. It was common for weavers to use sketches for their initial scenes, then adapt them for their own amusement. When the Renaissance began, full-sized sketches were more closely followed, creating a trend of copying paintings instead of using tapestries for original art.

The Spread of Tapestries

In 1665, the first tapestry factory, Les Gobelins, was created in Paris. It employed more than 800 weavers to create tapestries for the royal court. Opening factories to produce tapestries became a widespread practice throughout courts across Europe. The estates of Louis XIV and Henry VII both had over 2,000 tapestries in them.

The French Revolution drastically changed the tapestry industry. The social unrest of the time ruined the market, so much so that in 1797, the French Directory burned 190 tapestries instead of retaining them; the gold threads were thought to be more valuable. Another major change to the tapestry industry occurred with the invention of the mechanical loom in 1804. This expanded the tapestry industry, and introduced techniques that are still used in the tapestry industry today.

The arts and crafts movement, led by William Morris in the late 19th century, had a big impact on the tapestry industry as we know it today. By reviving many old crafts, tapestry weaving saw a surge of interest. He taught himself 18th century weaving techniques, and began designing tapestries based on medieval styles. His company, Morris and Co., revived the art of tapestry weaving with widespread success.

Tapestries Today

Today, tapestries are still considered a classic and elegant addition to any home. While handwoven tapestries are less common now, many of our customers still clamor for the beautiful detail of a handwoven piece. Whether you are looking a small hand woven tapestry, a large antique tapestry, or a custom tapestry design to your specifications, we can provide you with the best tapestries available online. Shop Heirloom Tapestries today!