Woven Poetry

 Woven Poetry

    Have you ever seen a tapestry? A tapestry is a heavy cloth that has a design or picture woven into it. Tapestries often are used as wall hangings. They also are used as furniture coverings.

    In creating a tapestry, threads are stretched on a loom. Then colorful threads are woven over and under them. Wool is the most commonly used thread for tapestries. Silk, gold, and silver also have been used.

    The art of tapestry has a long history throughout the world. Tapestries were made in ancient Egypt and China, among other places. In the 1500s, an era of tapestry-making began in northern Europe. Tapestries often were designed and woven in sets of panels. The 1800s saw a revival of the ancient methods and designs in England.

    Artists would design and paint full-scale patterns for weavers. These patterns were called cartoons. Great painters would create cartoons for the designers and weavers. They sometimes created tapestries with images similar to paintings on canvas. By the 1900s, artists such as Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse were creating designs for weavings.

    Today weavers often design tapestries. Many artists weave them on commission, or by request. People commission tapestries that reflect their interests and tastes. These artworks add warmth to a room. They also lend a special feeling of comfort and beauty. To many people throughout the ages, a tapestry is a kind of woven poetry.