Antique Textile History

	•	Islamic
	•	Persian Excerpt from "Woven from the Soul, Spun from the Heart" Excerpt from "Masterpieces of Persian Art: Safavid Textiles"
	•	Turkish
	•	Chinese
	•	Indian
	•	Italian
	•	Japanese
	•	Kashmiri

	Islamic Textile History : Textile Images. Of the many diverse arts that flourished in the early Islamic period, textiles played an especially significant role in society, one that continued in subsequent periods. Textiles were ubiquitous in Islamic lands, serving as clothing, household furnishings, and portable architecture (tents). The manufacture of and trade in textiles were highly sophisticated and profitable industries that built upon Byzantine and Sasanian traditions. Often made with costly materials such as silk and gold- and silver-wrapped thread and decorated with complex designs, textiles were luxury goods signifying wealth and social status. Islamic textiles were also widely exported to the West, where their prominence is underscored by their impact on European languages. For example, the English words "cotton" and "mohair," and "taffeta" and "seersucker," derive, respectively, from Arabic and Persian. Despite their prevalence, comparatively few textiles have survived from the early Islamic period. Textiles are inherently fragile, and because of their value Islamic fabrics in all periods were cut down and reused over and over again until they literally wore out. Many of the extant early Islamic textiles were found in Egypt, primarily in graves, where the dark and dry conditions helped to preserve them. The fragments that have survived are fabricated from cotton, linen, silk and wool, often dyed vivid colors. They demonstrate a well-developed textile technology notable for its use of complicated and richly colored designs. One of the most common types of early Islamic textiles is decorated with a long band inscribed with the name and titles of the ruler, as well as the date and place of manufacture. Such inscribed fabrics, of which a number are preserved in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, are known as Tiraz, from the Persian word "embroidery." As this name suggests, the epigraphic decoration (rendered in Kufic script) was often finely embroidered, but the inscriptions could also be woven directly into the cloth, a technique known as tapestry-weaving. Other types of early Islamic fabrics were also tapestry-woven, for example a fragment in the museum's collection, whose colorful decoration reflects the influence of Sasanian art. These textiles date from the eighth or ninth century and were likely produced in Egypt, where tapestry-weaving had existed since Pharaonic times. Its linen ground bears a silk decorative band of rather ungainly birds, perhaps ducks, each enclosed by a medallion. The medallions alternate with twin pairs of wings, an abstracted version of the Sasanian royal crown motif. The beaded border usually on the top and bottom is a common means of decoration in early Islamic textiles which was also inspired by Sasanian design. Although the textiles once-brilliant colors have been dimmed by time, and we can now only imagine the larger garment, wall hanging, or cushion they may've once been, it nonetheless enriches our visual perception of early Islamic civilization. Back to Top
	Persian Silk Textile History:Textile Images Click here for essay excerpts from "Woven from the Soul, Spun from the Heart" During the 17th century, the Persian aristocracy wore their social status on their sleeves. They were anything but timid about flaunting their rank through the use of rich textiles. They regaled themselves and their horses with these luxurious woven accoutrements and spread them unabashedly on the walls, floors and furniture of their magnificent palaces, even using them to decorate their coffins. In many cases, the textiles were given to royals as tribute. Persia's shimmering woven silk textiles, often inspired by poems and miniature paintings, exuded a refinement that is a great source of inspiration for design today a sometimes vivid, sometimes pale palette, urbane and understated composition, with cosmopolitan touches imported by way of the merchants of Venice. These gracious courtly works, with their origins based upon naturalistic images of flora and fauna, established the sophisticated design vocabulary of the Safavid empire in its sumptuous textiles as well as its majestic Persian carpets. They are quite a contrast to the geometric abstractions found in a wide range of colorful tribal designs one associates with Persian textiles and rugs woven in the outlying villages. The history of brocaded silk weaving dates back to the time before the Sassanid dynasty. At that time this handicraft was exported to Europe and Rome. After the Sassanid period, due to the fact that the use of gold was prohibited for men, so weaving of this kind of cloth was almost stopped. During the Mogul era, the textile industry was almost forgotten in Iran, and the masters, for fear of their lives, lived in hiding. The textile industry was revived during the Safavid period, and during the reign of Shah Abbas, brocade artists were asked to migrate to Isfahan, and start working in the royal workshops. During the period between the 11th and 13th lunar hijira centuries, weaving of brocaded silk declined; and during the Qajar era and the past regime, brocaded silk and velvet were used in formal dresses, upholstery of furniture and curtains of courts. At the present period, some masters such as Mahmoud Farshchian, have put forward novel designs by increasing or decreasing some ornamental elements. Brocades are woven by means of old tools, and its raw materials are silk and gold and silver lace (braid) and are dyed by means of natural stuffs and materials. In ancient times, ornament making workshops produced valuable textiles for home consumption as well as for exports. Some samples of silk materials from the beginning of the Islamic period and woven in Sassanid style are available now and can be found in private collections and in European churches. For example, the design of the face of Jesus Christ is found in Saint Victoria Church, and the piece of cloth on which the design of elephant is woven, is preserved in "Sceance" Cathedral. According to historical narrations, two thousand years ago some pieces of cloth were made with gold and silver laces used in their design and fabric. As far as proportionality and coordination of designs and color are concerned, the designs of the Sassanid cloth attained the utmost degree of artistic perfection. The Sassanid designs are mostly birds, animals, hunting ground and horsemen as well as some abstract designs. After the Sassanid period, on account of the fact that men were forbidden to use gold, so, brocades were not made for a relatively long time until the Seljuqi period. During the Islamic period, the brocade and gold designs of animals and birds such as lions, phoenix and eagles made on the fabric of cloth were quite glorious, demonstrating the progress of textile technique during the Seljuqi period. Among the decorative elements of cloth weaving during this period, one could mention the designs of tulips and water lily. During the succeeding periods, new designs were initiated by designers and textile weavers, which laid the foundation for an independent, genuine and creditable identity of textile of the Safavid period. But before that date that is during the Mogul period the textile was forgotten in Iran for many years, and brocade makers lived in hiding for a long time out of fear of their lives. The Golden Period for Textiles begins from the Safavid Era. The silken Safavid pieces of cloth are of three kinds: 1 - Simple fine silk; 2 - Brocade or gold silk; 3 - Silken velvet. Three pieces of cloth were used for dresses of aristocrats, commanders, kings and courtiers. They were decorated by designs of human beings, animals, birds, flowers and plants as well as scenes of war and feasts. During the period of Shah Abbas, the second, valuable brocade and golden velvet pieces of cloth continued to be woven skillfully and with a great care, which bore the name of the weaver, called "Ghias". There are two small pieces of dated silk cloth from the Shah Abbas era in Metropolitan museum. The name of the weaver, Shah Hossein, and the date 1008 lunar hijira year are inscribed on it. The famous weavers of this era were: Ghias, Abdullah, Bin Mohammad, Moezeddin, Ibne Ghias and Issa Abbasi. During the Shah Abbas era, some royal workshops were established and brocade artists were asked to migrate to Isfahan and revive this ancient art. Their cooperation showed that the community of brocade makers could produce and market valuable pieces of work. During this period, in addition to Isfahan, Yazd and Kashan were centers of brocade artists in Iran. During the period between 11th and 13th hijira centuries, production of brocade and silk cloth was reduced and was replaced by calico and various kinds of needle lace. Brocades and gold cloth were used mostly by dignitaries and commanders, whereas other kinds of decorative pieces of cloth, such as velvet and satin were worn by men and women. Brocades and golden velvet, in their historical course, attracted the attention of brocade artists during the Qajar period, and this art was retained, more or less, from one generation to another; and in the past regime too, it was used as decorative clothes, upholstery of court's furniture, ceremonial dresses as well as curtains of general or special halls. Back to Top
	Turkish Textile History:Textile Images Textile-weaving traditionally focuses on the making of carpets and kilims as well as other hangings and coverings with names like cicim, zili, and Sumak. The Turkish arts of textile-making flourished particularly in Anatolia where some of the world's finest textiles were woven in centers such as Konya, Usak, and Bergama during the Seljuk, Feudal, and Ottoman periods. Choice examples of kilims and exquisite textiles are to be found in the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts and in the Vakiflar Museum of Carpets and Kilims (both in Istanbul) as well as in a number of other museums in Turkey. Fabric-weaving is another textile art that has been practiced and developed in Turkey for centuries. Fabrics also provide a medium for the arts of embroidery, hand-painting, and block-printing, as is eloquently testified by examples in museums and private collections around the country. During Ottoman times, cities such as Bursa, Bilecik, and Uskudar were centers where the worlds finest silks, velvets, cottons, and woolens were woven, which live now in the collection of sultans' garments in the Topkapi Sarayi Museum. There are rich examples of fabrics woven in Bursa to order for the court according to designs executed by the artists of the court studios. The Ottoman world is probably the best known for its production of sumptuous textiles that were woven with shimmering silk and metallic threads. Exquisitely decorated satins and velvets were cherished by both the Ottomans and the Europeans who considered them luxury items that reflected the majesty of kings and the wealth of their courts. Sewn into garments or used as furnishings, they were displayed in ceremonial functions, preserved as treasuries, given as gifts, and demanded as tribute. Silk has always been an expensive and desirable commodity; it was brought from distant lands and required highly specialized and laborious techniques of processing, spinning, dyeing, and weaving; it feels sensuous against the skin but is very durable and can be woven with the most intricate patterns, rendered in brilliant jewel-like colors. Its trade routes and markets were zealously guarded and fought over, since whoever controlled its commercial activities and industrial centers reaped significant financial benefits. The Ottoman Empire was strategically located on the path of the east-west silk route bridging Asia and Europe. Silk, transported by caravans from Iran passed through Anatolia as far as Bursa, Where Europeans, mostly Italians, purchased the goods. Bursa was the major center for the international silk trade during the early sixteenth century and provided substantial revenues to the state by customs, taxes and brokerage fees levied from the Iranian and Italian merchants; in addition, it developed its own textile industry. The protection of this lucrative trade was of great interest to the sultans and was in part responsible for the wars with the Safavids throughout the sixteenth century. Most of the raw silk that arrived in Bursa was sold to Europeans, but some was reserved for domestic use. Although silk began to be produced in Bursa in the second half of the sixteenth century, its output was insufficient to supply the demand, and the Ottoman world continued to rely on imported raw material both for its domestic needs and resale. Back to Top
	Chinese Textile History: Textile Images The earliest known silk textiles excavated in China dated to circa 3630 BCE; earlier pseudo morphs (impressions left by a textile on bronze or jade) or patterned textiles date from the Shang dynasty (16th-11th century BCE). By the Warring States through Han Dynasty periods (circa 475 BCE-220 CE), elaborately patterned jin brocades (1), complex gauze weaves, and intricately embroidered textiles were all being produced; their artistry and technical accomplishment amaze modern viewers. Trade along the Silk Road, which began as early as the Han dynasty and reached its peak in the 5th through 12th centuries CE, created an environment in which Chinese culture interacted with the tastes of consumers from lands as distant as Iran and Rome. Weavers from a number of ethnic backgrounds, including Han Chinese and Central Asian (Uighur, Sogdian, and others) all produced textiles in different styles woven from silk. Formerly nomadic ruling dynasties, such as the Liao (907-1125), incorporated imagery of hunting and nature into gorgeous gold-brocaded textiles. Kesi (silk tapestry weave) became the vehicle for quintessentially Chinese aesthetics during the Song Dynasty (960-1279) in textiles which feature traditional phoenix and peony motifs or which emulate styles of Chinese brush painting (3). During the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, court robes, rank badges, and Buddhist and Daoist Kesi were all used to denote status and wealth, as well as to express religious devotion. Typical of Chinese courtly garments are the large, standing dragons, their paws clutching clouds that emblazon most of an Imperial family's clothes. The dragons clutch the jewels they usually pursue; sometimes they are surrounded both front and back with large, gold-couched characters, some of them reading shou (long life). Others are adorned with the swastikas, which mean 'ten thousand,' and combine to form a popular birthday wish for longevity. This symbolism indicates these kinds of garments were intended for such an occasion like a birthday. The color red was very popular and became the Ming dynastic color, which has suggested the owner of these garments would be a woman of the imperial family. Silk-Knit Goods Fabrics made of silk consist of many types: brocade, satin, silk fabric, etc. This variety is due to different weaving skills and silk fabrics. Some are lined, some are unbleached, some are heavy, and some are thin. Silk-knit goods are one of great Chinese contributions to the world culture. The weaving skills emerged in the primitive society. They can demonstrate the culture tradition of one nation. Though they historically served as clothing material, its relation to the common people had never been severed. Many excellent weaving skills and patterns were first established by the common people and passed to all walks of life. Sichuan Brocade It is one of historical silk-knit brocade and a general term for the silk-knit brocades which were in produced in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, from the Han Dynasty to the Three Kingdom Period. Since Sichuan and the middle China was linked up, the weaving industry has boomed. The varieties, colors, and patterns have become abundant. It flourished until the Tang, Song and Yuan Dynasties. Of the Sichuan brocades in the Tang Dynasty, the bundle flower lining brocade and the red lion and phoenix lining brocade were the most outstanding. Sichuan brocade is based on horizontally colored line. Cloud Brocade It is one of the traditional silk-knit brocade. It is named after its color as gorgeous as colorful cloud, for it is made of high quality silk and woven with exquisite skill. The silk industry consists of two trades: the pattern brocade trade and the unpatterned brocade trade since the end of the Qing Dynasty. Not until then the name "cloud brocade" came into use. Suzhou Brocade It is traditional silk-knit brocade in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province. It was lost at the end of the Ming Dynasty, and recovered at the beginning of the Qing Dynasty. It consists of big brocade and small brocade. Among them the big brocade is also called heavy brocade, which is mainly used for mounting picture and decoration, while small brocade is used for making box and decorating small articles. They are patterned geometrically and neatly decorated with bundles of flowers and flowers on twigs. They are colored in harmony instead of in contrast. Zhang Down It is also called "swans down" and one of the traditional silk -knit goods. It is produced in Zhengzhou, Fujian Province. It flourished in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. There are patterned down and unpatterned down. The patterned down is cut in accordance to the lines and constitutes patterns with the unsevered line circles. The unpatterned down is covered with down circles on its surface. Tapestry Brocade It is a type of silk-knit goods whose patterns are highlighted by the colorful horizontal silk. First the horizontal threads are installed on the common weaving machine. Under the horizontal threads there are colorful picture drafts. The vertical threads with various colors are woven in segment by the small shuttles according to the patterns. The horizontal thread of each color is interwoven with the vertical thread with every other color. This way of weaving is called "interweaving horizontal and vertical threads." Cotton Textiles Cotton textiles take cotton as material. In the southwest of China the minority nationalities had cotton textiles early in the Eastern Han Dynasty. They called it "white folded cloth.” In Fujian Province of the Han Dynasty, they grew cotton. In the northwest of China of the Three Kingdom Period they also had cotton textiles. The cotton textiles have been produced in the south of the Changjiang River since the Tang Dynasty, especially since the Yuan Dynasty. In the areas populated by the minor nationalities the cotton used to serve as the material which was made into cotton textiles of various colors called brocades. The term "brocade" here refers to textile fabric and textile variety made with different weaving skills. There are silk- knit goods and cotton goods. Some textiles are woven with the blending of silk and cotton. Back to Top
	Indian Textile History: Textile Images India has a diverse and rich textile tradition. The origin of Indian textiles can be traced to the Indus valley civilization. The people of this civilization used homespun cotton for weaving their garments. Excavations at Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro, have unearthed household items like needles made of bone and spindles made of wood, amply suggesting that homespun cotton was used to make garments. Fragments of woven cotton have also been found from these sites. The first literary information about textiles in India can be found in the Rig-Veda, which refers to weaving. The ancient Indian epics-Ramayana and Mahabharata also speak of a variety of fabrics of those times. The Ramayana refers to the rich styles worn by the aristocracy on one hand and the simple clothes worn by the commoners and ascetics. Ample evidence on the ancient textiles of India can also be obtained from the various sculptures belonging to Mauryan and Gupta age as well as from ancient Buddhist scripts and murals (Ajanta caves). Legend has it that when Amrapali, a courtesan from the kingdom of Vaishali met Gautama Buddha, she wore a richly woven semi transparent sari, which speaks volumes of the technical achievement of the ancient Indian weaver. India had numerous trade links with the outside world and Indian textiles were popular in the ancient world. Indian silk was popular in Rome in the early centuries of the Christian era. Hoards of fragments of cotton material originating from Gujarat have been found in the Egyptian tombs at Fostat, belonging to 5th century A.D. Cotton textiles were also exported to China during the heydays of the silk route. Silk fabrics from south India were exported to Indonesia during the 13th century. India also exported printed cotton fabrics or chintz, to European countries and the Far East before the coming of the Europeans to India. The British East India Company also traded in Indian cotton and silk fabrics, which included the famous Dacca muslins. Muslins from Bengal, Bihar and Orissa were also popular abroad.(Muslin-a very thin cotton material) (Chintz-cotton cloth, usually printed with flowery patterns, that has a slightly shiny appearance) The past traditions of the textile and handlooms can still be seen amongst the motifs, patterns, designs, and the old techniques of weaving, still employed by the weavers. BROCADES - THE TRADITION OF BRINGING SILK TO LIFE Brocade weaving, especially with gold and silver, has been an age-old tradition in India. There are two broad classes of brocades. Brocades of pure silk or silk and cotton blends and zari brocades with gold and silver threads. The most important material in brocade weaving is silk. It facilitates lovely weaves, is durable, strong, fine and smooth. There are several varieties of raw silk of which the chief ones used for brocades are Tanduri, Banaka and Mukta. Tanduri is imported from Malda and other places in Bengal. Banaka is thinner and finer variety and is mostly used to weave soft fabrics such as turbans and handkerchiefs. Mukta is a coarse and durable silk used for kimkhabs, as fine silk would not withstand heavy gold patterns. REFINING SILK FOR BROCADE MAKING Raw silk is specially treated for brocades. It is first twisted (called 'silk throwing') after which the threads undergo reeling and checking for uniformity and roundness. When the yarn has been processed, it is bleached and "degummed", as raw silk has a gum-like substance (sericin) in its composition. This has to be removed in order to bring out the sheen and softness and to enable penetration of the dye. The task has to be done with great care as the fibers can weaken or get damaged. The silk is boiled in soap water for certain duration and then sent for dying. IMPORTANCE OF COLOR Color plays a vital part in weaving brocade. The charm and subtle beauty of the brocade depends upon color synchronization. Colors are surcharged with nuances of mood and poetic association in fabrics and weaving as much as in painting. Red - the color of love. The three tones of red evoke the three states of love. Yellow - is the color of versant (spring), of young blossoms, southern winds and swarms of bees. Nila (indigo) - the color of Lord Krishna who is likened to a rain-filled cloud. Hari Nila - the color of water in which the sky is reflected. Gerwa (saffron) - the color of the earth and of the yogi the wandering minstrel, the seer, the poet who renounces the world. Earlier, vegetable dyes were used during weaving. These produced fast colors, lasted for almost a generation, and remained as beautiful and vivid as ever. Nowadays aniline dyes have gained popularity as they are cheaper, less time-consuming and produce a larger variety of colors. MAKING NAKSHAS (DESIGNS) ON BROCADES Making of nakshas (designs) forms an important part of brocade weaving. Banaras is the main center where the nakshabandha (designer) tradition prevails. The skill and imagination of nakshabandha plays a prominent part in making of designs. Designs are associated with legends and symbolism. The most popular motifs are drawn from nature. In Banaras, it is said that nakshabandha families were brought to this country during the reign of Muhammed Tughlak (1325-1350 A.D.). They were supreme masters of the art of tying designs into the loom. Local artisans and weavers learned this art from these great craftsmen. Some of these craftsmen were also great poets-perhaps they wove their poetry into their designs. One such renowned poet was Ghias-I-Naqsband, mentioned in Abul Fazl's 'Ain-I-Akbari'. The nakshas are first worked on paper. This part of the work is called likhai (writing). The nakshabandha then makes a little pattern of it in a framework of cotton threads like a graph. This pattern gives guidance to the working of that design into weaving. CHANGES IN DESIGNS THROUGH THE CENTURIES Designs and motifs have undergone changes gradually and imperceptibly. These changes can be traced through paintings made during different periods. Ajanta and Bagh murals show the existence of different techniques of designs and textiles. During the Gupta period (14th century A.D.). Popular designs were formal floral motifs or scrolls entwined with hansas or sinhas -bird and animal depictions. In the 16th century, the old designs were replaced by Persian floral motifs. Akbari paintings show half-blooming flowers, the Jehangir period, full-blown blossom and the Shahjehan period, tiny blossoms with emphasis on the leaves. In the 19th century, with the advent of British rule, there was a drastic change in designs. Some brocades started depicting English wallpaper designs to suit the tastes of the British rulers. Back to Top
	Italian Velvet History: Textile Images The most fanciful images of the weaver's art across the centuries: upon thrones, altars, in royal bed chambers, bourgeois drawing rooms and the ateliers of great couturiers; it is velvet which has marked entire eras. Guiseppe Verdi demanded only the finest velvets for the outfits for the characters in his operas, and the same was true for Rossini and Donzietti. From Caruso to Galeffi to Giuditta Pasta, one and all lavished maniacal attention to the velvety spectacle of the costumes of their operas. And what shall we say then for the long list designers, from Courreges, Cardin, Rabanne, Marucelli, and De Barentzen? Velvet, however, has been first and foremost an economic phenomenon, which has generated enormous wealth, enough to pay armies, create banks, and radically shift the array of international economies. A powerful lever in the great trade of the Renaissance, velvet made the fortunes of the bankers and merchants of city-states such as Lucca, Florence, and the maritime republics of Genoa and Venice. For centuries, these cities dominated the textile markets of the entire world, with their velvets influencing the prices of raw materials, commercial treaties, fashions, technology, and new discoveries. The earliest traces of velvet were lost somewhere on the legendary Silk Road, the great transcontinental caravan route that connected Lo-Yang with the Ch'ang-an through the Taklimakan, the desert without return, all the way to the port cities of the eastern Mediterranean. As to the origins of velvet, scholars from all over the world have discussed and debated for many years. It is now a general belief this fabric, originally made of silk, arrived in Italy for the first time from the Far East, transported by Arab merchants, and was then spread throughout Europe, in turn, by the merchants from Lucca, Venice, Florence, and Genoa. In Italy, beginning in the twelfth century and continuing through the entire eighteenth century, the largest industry for the production of velvets in the western world was set up. For centuries in Lucca, Siena, Venice, Florence and Genoa supplied the rest of Europe with these valued fabrics, to be used in clothing, wall coverings, upholstery, the trapping of horses, furniture of all sorts, and the interiors of carriages and litters. Many historians claim that the earliest velvets were woven in Palermo, in imitation of the velvets in the east. The hypothesis that this precious cloth was first woven in Sicily and later spread to the rest of Italy was first put forth by the French Scholar A. Latour. Many other scholars tend to favor the Venetian route, since there is documentation from as early as the ninth to eleventh centuries of intense trade between Venice and the East. However, Arabic is the only language that makes use of the name of a city Kathifet in mentioning velvet. This city may well be the place where this type of cloth was produced for the first time. But on the other hand, in Italy, the fabric takes the name from the characteristic appearance - in Italian, "vello" means fleece, and "velluto", or velvet, means fleecy. Back to Top
	Japanese Textile History: Textile Images Toward the end of the Edo Period, Japan suffered a succession of disastrous harvests, leading to a sharp decline in the demand for luxury fabrics. And when Japan's capital was moved from Kyoto to Tokyo in 1869, Nishijin weaving seemed threatened with extinction. While these events certainly enfeebled the weaving industry, not to mention the entire Kyoto economy, the Nishijin weavers showed an amazing resilience and spirit in preserving their craft. Observers were sent to Europe to study the textile industry there, and advanced Western weaving technology and equipment were introduced. By the 1890's, only 20 years after the shift of the capital, the Nishijin weavers had fully adapted modern technology to their ancient art, and the industry began to grow again, along with Japan's new capitalist economy. Through adopting modern technology, the Nishijin weavers were able to create a stable business in inexpensive machine-woven fabrics for everyday use that supported the production of the elaborate and luxurious hand-woven fabrics that are the purest expression of the Nishijin style. Textiles provide an interesting and revealing vantage point to look at any society. This is particularly the case with Japanese textiles. Beginning in the early modern era when Japan increased its urbanization, textiles became a badge of social status. Because of their closeness to the human body in clothes and other uses, textiles show by their motif, color and garment shape much about Japan and its culture. In addition, they send messages as to an individual’s age, rank, gender, social, political and religious affiliation. In Japan they also often denoted an individual’s occupation, special function and association with special groups. This is the case throughout Japanese history but is perhaps even more apt during the Edo period which we've mentioned above. Economic, commercial and social conditions created levels of change that made textiles and clothing an even more important form of social identification. Many of the criteria and some of the forms and designs of the eighteenth and nineteenth century can still be seen to this day. For example, a preference for natural materials, a preference for traditional decorating techniques and as if a subtle defiance to the dwindling interest in wearing the kimono – the enduring status of the yukata. Textiles continue to this day to demonstrate their commercial uses of demonstrating shops main activities. This can be seen in the present usage of noren (doorway curtain) and advertising banners. Many observers believe Tsujigahana textiles are the zenith of the Japanese textile arts. These textiles which were produced between the fourteenth and the early seventeenth century for clothes, banners and other items are examples of the height of creativity and beauty. In one sense Tsujigahana textile can be seen as a reflection of Japanese historical changes. Many of the best pieces of Tsujigahana reflect the decorative extravagance of the later Edo period. This coming/lingering of very different artistic sensibilities produced many miracles of artistic and technical brilliance that have not yet been equaled. Textiles reached a high degree of cultural distinction and artistic appreciation in the Edo and succeeding Meiji periods (1868 - 1912). The social and commercial importance of their role in turn instilled vigor and a greater range of artistic expression. With ties to religion, peasant life and in part as a reaction to a growingly complex urban culture, Japan's textile traditions evolved from commoner textile traditions that had been utilized for centuries. Away from the palace workshops, weavers, dyers and neeedleworkers added to local traditions by adapting foreign techniques, revitalizing patterns by absorbing exotic motifs and creating innovative design. During the Edo and Meiji periods, elite classes commissioned complicated and diverse fabrics in rich silk brocades and filmy gauze weaves. The lower classes, working within the strictly regulated feudal guidelines for clothing material, patterns and colors were not stagnant during this period. They often created new forms with bold images that were intricate in their subtle nuances. Dyeing emerged as an art form in its own right during this period. Although the use of vibrant colors was often prescribed by the Shogun or economically cost prohibitive, the use of brighter colors increased during this period. Through the centuries, Japanese textiles have often followed two diverse genuses: the textiles produced for and worn by commoners and those textiles produced for and worn by the higher social classes. Although it might at first be thought that the one could never rival the other in artistic form and creativity, both branches of the textile art are deeply moving embellishments of the country's folk culture.

Textile History