I took the family out to the Virginia Fine Arts Museum yesterday and was happy to see several textile exhibits. Perhaps the most striking of which was a collection of enormous European tapestries from the 18th century.
The Cowardice of Sancho at the Hunt (Charles-Antoine Coypel 18th Century, made of Wool and Silk)
In looking at these beautiful creations, three things immediately come to mind. First, the sheer scale of these pieces is so immense that modern homes simply could not house one of these. Second, the fact that these were not made with the benefit of modern computing technology- meant that weaving one of these enormous tapestries was as complex an accomplishment as painting any masterpiece. Third, the beautiful boldness of color found in these fabrics was made without the aid of modern synthetic dying processes. This speaks to how skin tones and certain color choices seem out of step with modern color schemes- but they are no less beautiful and vibrant.
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts has just reopened after undergoing a 150 million dollar renovation and is well worth seeing if you are in the area.
