Wall Tapestries from Europe

If you have never heard of William Morris or seen his work, I highly suggest you take a look at these William Morris tapestries.  He is known for patterns of swirling leaves and earthy tones.  Scenes of nature and stylized medieval designs are the typical subject matter of his work. 

William Morris led a fascinating and enriching life.  He was involved not only in the arts, but also the politics of the time.  He led to the reinsurgence of handmade crafts and textiles, in the face of the Industrial Revolution.  He was also a writer, who was greatly influenced by the work of John Ruskin “Sesame and Lilies” and Thomas Malory “Morte d’Arthur”.  He and his life long friend, Edward Burne-Jones started a decorative arts firm that included artists such as Dante Gabriel Rossetti. 

His most famous works are:  The Tree of Life, The Holy Grail tapestry series, and Ehret Die Frauen.  You can see more tapestry wall hangings at The Tapestry Standard.

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I was visiting our mill this weekend, and I got to see just how complicated looms are.  I witnessed the setup of a loom for a single tapestry size and design.  I only saw them finishing it up - they had been working on it for days.  Days!  No wonder custom tapestry work is so darned expensive.  Just setting up the weft for one color took hours.  I couldn’t believe it.  Seeing all the work go into the setup, before a single weave was woven…it gave me a whole new respect for weaving and all other fabric arts. 

I was so fascinated by the whole process, that I did some research when I got home.  The loom they were using is probably the most modern and it still took days to set up.  It got me to thinking about the more “archaic” loom styles that are still used today.  I mean, let’s consider the Jacquard loom.  This style of loom is still widely used today because it can make extremely intricate designs - perfect for wall tapestries.  But, these looms can take up to three weeks to rethread for a new design.  Weeks!  Most Jacquard looms are set up for one design, one size, one time only.  Those looms can be used over and over again to create the same design, but that’s about it. 

So, when you look at a tapestry, or are shopping for one you know one thing for sure…it took days to set up the loom to weave that tapestry.  Just imagine how long it took to set up the loom for these unicorn tapestries! 

Come and browse our enormous selection of handmade tapestry wall hangings for your home decor!

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March is a big month for artists. I feel that it is important to celebrate the births of these creative people. Their vision and talent changed how people viewed art and beauty…not to mention making the world a more beautiful place.

Michelangelo was born March 6, 1475. Most people have heard of him or have seen his work. His artistic influence has been carried on for centuries…and for good reason. His use of light and shadow helped him create a depth to paintings that would otherwise look flat and uninspired. His most famous painting was The Creation which is a section of his famous Sistine Chapel mural. Painted on the high domed ceiling of the Chapel, this extensive work of art is certainly considered his Magnus Opus.

Another wonderful artist born in March was Vincent Van Gogh. He was born March 30, 1853. The beauty of his paintings continues to inspire young artists even today. Among his many famous works, Cathedral and Chambre are perhaps the most recognizable. The use of color, shading and perspective make these works truly exceptional and unique.

Be sure to check out our Art Tapestries section for more beautiful fine art wall hangings! It’s finally getting warm enough to say…It’s Spring!

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You have probably seen at least one of the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries though you may not know it. The Lady and Unicorn tapestry series has been a topic of discussion for years because no one can agree on the meaning of the scenes. Most people will agree that the tapestries represent the five senses and a culmination of the senses in the sixth tapestry. The big question is why is the Lady with the Unicorn to begin with?

Some people think that the Lady is trying to tame the unicorn, because as legend has it, only a virgin can tame a unicorn. Others think that the Lady is renouncing all the physical senses to become part of the spiritual realm of the unicorn. Upon close inspection of the unicorn tapestries, you can see the interesting details that support both sides of this conundrum.

In The Touch Unicorn Tapestry, we see the Lady standing with her left hand on the unicorn’s horn and her right hand holding her coat of arms flag. This stance appears somewhat aggressive, as though the Lady was prepared for battle. The three point stance also creates a sort of trinity, but not necessarily in a religious context. Her family’s coat of arms, herself, and the mystical wild unicorn create the entire tangible reality to the young woman. If we were to look at this from the spiritual perspective, perhaps the young woman is giving up the support of her family for a life of spirituality. The Touch could also illustrate the power of purity over the wild carnality of the sensation of touch. The unruly unicorn has been tamed by the touch of the Lady.

The Sound or The Hearing Unicorn wall hanging depicts the Lady playing an organ. This piece is also called Dame a L’orgue. Again, she is standing in a commanding position in front of the organ. The unicorn is calmed by the music and is lying down in the back of the scene. You can also see that the unicorn is holding up the Lady’s coat of arms in this scene, which could symbolize some sort of acceptance between the Lady and the Unicorn - a transition to the spiritual world from the physical world.

The Smell Lady and the Unicorn Tapestry depicts the young woman braiding a trail of carnations. Carnations were generally used to represent betrothal and loyalty. The unicorn is tamed by the scent of the flowers and by the purity of the Lady as she weaves them. Once again, the Lady is standing in a commanding position over the unicorn. This could illustrate the Lady’s unfinished journey toward spirituality - she is still on a different level than the mystical unicorn.

In The Taste Unicorn tapestry, the Lady is depicted reaching her hand into a bowl of fruit, possibly grapes. She is still attached the physical world, and still reaches for sustenance that she feels she needs. She is still in a standing position, but the unicorn is now rearing back on its hind legs. The unicorn is closer to her level, but she has yet to submit to the spiritual.

The Sight Unicorn tapestry is perhaps the turning point in the Lady and the Unicorn Tapestry series. In this scene, the Lady is seated with the unicorn resting on her lap. The Lady looks sad and distant, while the unicorn appears to be smiling. The Lady holds a mirror that reflects the unicorn’s face - as though she could not look directly at the unicorn, but needed to see the reflection to fully transcend into the spiritual. You can also see that the Lady’s coat of arms is no longer held by either her or the unicorn. The Sight unicorn tapestry shows the Lady’s full realization of giving up the physical for the spiritual. It could also simply represent the complete taming of the unicorn.

The final piece in the series is A Mon Seul Desir, or To My Soul Desire, which could depict either the Lady’s successful transition into the spiritual world or her failure at trying to transcend. In this scene, the lady is either giving or taking the chest of jewels. You cannot tell which from her facial expression or body position which she is doing. The tent behind the Lady appears to represent the culmination of desire. Since the Lady is outside of the tent, it could mean that she has not fully gone into the spiritual world. She is just outside, either trying to get in by giving away her jewels, or is banished to remain just outside because she could not resist the jewels.

If you would like to see the entire Lady and the Unicorn Tapestry Set, please visit The Tapestry Standard and look in our Unicorn tapestries section. We also very many different styles of each of the senses, be sure to see which matches your decor style.

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