The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-23


kings and mobiles to move from ono
castle or palace to another as ~
business Of state or the season of ~
year dictated. leaving the unoccup,ed
ones almost unfurnished, tapestry
which transformed a draughty and nm.
slightly building into "a richly decorated
and sheltered hall In a short time hoa
manifest advantages over more pe,'
manent forms Of decoration. 1t is there.
fore no wonder that these rich fahrlc,
formed a highly valued portion OF tho
belongings Of the wealthy persons NJ
those times and that their manufactu-s
was fostered by royal PATRONAGE ana
special privileges.
The word tapestry" is often misused
to describe any kind of textile wal
hanging that has a pictorial character
for instance, the celebrated "Baveux
tapestry" Is wrongly so called. as II is
really an embroidery, and the term can
only rightly be applied to fabrics woven
on a loom. in which the pattern is
actually part Of the fabric and no,
added afterward. II has this in com
mon with embroidery. that every thread
is specially and individually put into
Its place In the design by hand. Herein
~ iioHi tHt urinary machine
made tapestry Of commerce, such as I,
used for covering chairs, where the
pattern. whether large o. small, is re-
peated mechanically as often as desired
In tapestry proper each tint and color
is separately achieved. and the only wsy
Of repeating a design is by deliberately
making replica. either from the
tapestry already woven or from the
nrt ut ~ al rt.,a
the same design has an individuality
of its own and can easily be distin-
guished from others made at different
factories or by other worlmen.
The essential difference between
tapestry and other patterned woven
materials can only be understood BY
knowing something Of the way In which
II Is produced. In woven materials the
threads cross one another at right
angles. the simplest weaving consisting
Of taking the crossing threads over and
under alternate threads right across
from side to side; damasks are formed
by taking the woof across two or more
threads OF the warp, according to the
exigencies of the pattern. thus causing
an effect OF light and shade; brocades
have several sets of woofs and bring
giving a color and surface design over
the ground pattern.
In tapestry the pattern is purely
color effect; the warp consists OF threads
tightly stretched between the extremi-
ties OF the loom, and there Is no con.
tinuous weft. The weaver has the dlf-
ferent tints required for his pattern lin
some cases thousand or more) wound
~ ha1 To,
he wants and decided how much Of 4,
is required he pulls forward Just so
many OF the warp threads as cover the
space In width and passes the bobh'n
around and between them, repeating
this till the space is filled as to height
But the skill OF the workman does MOI
end here. for this would only result IN
the pattern coming out mosaic of little
squares; each bit Of color must 20,
wider or diminish as required. and
further nv the use Of two hobbIn. bo
shades off one color into another
1t requires extreme skill to select the
Fight tints. and the work Is so minute
that the best kind Of tapestry. known
rs high warp" takes even a skilled
weaver a year to do a square yard. 4
is this that makes tapestry hangings
the materials are inexpensive. though
OF course silk and gold and silver add
enormously to the costlness Of a piece
The term high warp" needs explana.
ton. II merely refers to the method Of
weaving Cor rather to the position Of The
loom). and not to any material dlf.
ference in the resulting fabric. This
superiority lies in its artistic excellence
When weaving on a high warp loom
the workman Is able to see his copy and
his work clearly and can correct any
errors as they arise. while in low warn
weaving he only sees his copy through
the strings Of his warp, and also can
only see the back OF his work. so that
the result lacks something Of the spirit
| ard accuracy which distirrulsh that
produced by the other method Il is
| however. much quicker to do. as ne has
! his copy on the spot. so to speak and
mas not TO resort to the measurements
and comparisons inseparabe from high
warp work, and is therefore able 70 10
about third more in a given time than
, the high warp weaver. II is. OF course
customary for several workmen 70 be
employed on the same length Of tapestry
at the same time. otherwise Il would
. M Nh'i tIlilt 10 compete u
1 panel.
An immense quantity Of tapestry
must have been made since the Middle
Ages. and though a great part Of Il has
persisted enough still remains to enable
us to form very good idea Of The
J maer'Ncence and heautv ~ tho sur
roundings Of those who could afford this ,
= glorious fabric to cover their walls
Some has gone through the most
amazing vlcissitudes. The Anrc-S Nuoc-
a'vnse. perhans the most beautiful ~
all the tapestries that have come down
to us from the fourteenth century. ls
an example. II dates from the davs ~
Louis T., Duke Of Aniou, and was kc0t
at the Cathedral OF Anglers ~ ne
"'rhteenth century, whom manv ~ ne
Gothic treasures OF The cathedral were
done away with, This priceless ro''
was offered for sale hut no ono va fr
II. Use was found for II In protecting
the orange trees he'onrinG To tho abbey
from the effects Of frost. and por''o1'
We're afterward cut up into bed rugs
Probably the most Co'oNra'e'
tapestries ever produced are ~ -
woven in Brussels for r0no 7 70 Y
from Rgphaei's cartoons hv tho master
I Weaver Peter Won Apist he .V.pNu 1I11