SHORT REFLECTION ON TREATING THEMES IN TAPESTRY

Abstract

Tapestry has always been closely linked to painting,its compositional evolution being conditioned by discoveries inpainting. Themes addressed were reproduced by tapestry mastersusing silk thread and wool, with the possibilities offered by the fabricstructure combined with the new discoveries in colour chemistry.However, since, from the very beginning, fabric structure had adetermining role in rendering the human figure, because of thenumber of colours, thread interlacing and netting fineness, the naivelook accentuated. With time, the experience of tapestry masters led toconcrete achievements but this aspect closely linked to thediversification of colours and the observance of the cartoon makerpainter’sinstructions has resulted in a decline of the art of tapestry.Everything changed when, at the beginning of the twentieth century,textile artist Jean Lurçat realised which were the big mistakes that ledto this downfall.