Preamble
There are a number of book reviews on this blogspot. For your convenience I have listed the book reviews below:
Textiles: The Art of Mankind - Mary Schoeser
The Pattern Base by Kristi O'Meara - Book Review
Stitch Stories - Cas Holmes
Creative Strength Training - Jane Dunnewold
World Textiles: A Concise History
Introduction
Mary Schoeser's trailblazing reference book, World Textiles: A Concise History (World of Art) that was first published in 2003 by Thames & Hudson has now been revised and updated to incorporate new research in the recently published 2022 edition of the book, also titled, World Textiles: A Concise History (World of Art)[1].
This review is solely limited to the current edition, and not with the revisions that were or were not incorporated with respect to the original edition. As such, it is intended to give only a glimpse into the content of the book rather than graphically detailing its narrative.
With respect to the updated edition of, World Textiles: A Concise History, Mary was asked to join in with a relatively new website - Discover the Best Books, created by Sam Shepherd. She says about the offer, 'I liked the idea because it allowed me to recommend five books that I really do think make a significant contribution to our understanding of textiles, so it wasn't just about me.'
To see Mary Schoeser's recommendations click here on the following link - The "Best books to get you hooked on textile histories By Mary Schoeser".
Mary Schoeser - World Textiles: A Concise History [1]
For many of us, who pride ourselves on having a textile library, Mary Schoeser would already be well known to you. She is internationally recognized as being a world authority on the history of textiles, as well as an international authority on the output of textile artists. Mary Schoeser’s international standing is well documented, from being an International Advisor to the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), to being the Honorary President of the Textile Society (United Kingdom) to currently being an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the Victoria and Albert Museum. She is also Patron of the Bernat Klein Foundation and the School of Textiles, Coggeshall (click on the following link - School of Textiles). Her publications range from detailing materials and techniques in the decorative arts to monographs on such high-profile international textile artists as Norma Starszakowna (e.g., Telos Portfolio Collection).
Front Cover of Mary Schoeser's, World Textiles: A Concise History (World of Art).
There are ten chapters in this A5 288 page paperback edition, with an appendix featuring a glossary of terms, a chapter-by-chapter select bibliography, graphical and subject indexes as well as acknowledgements.
The scope and size of each chapter is informative since it gives the perspective buyer an insight of where the author’s emphasis lies in the management of her treatise.
The book is organized as follows:
Chapter One: 'Prehistoric Materials and Techniques' (pp 11-34);
Chapter Two: 'The Dye and Loom Age, c. 3200 - 600 BC' (pp 35-59);
Chapter Three: 'Trade and Trends, 750 BC to AD 600’ (pp 60-86);
Chapter Four: 'Church and State, 600 - 1500' (pp 87-109);
Chapter Five: 'Western Ideas and Styles Dispersed, 1300 - 1900' (pp 110-133);
Chapter Six: 'Oriental Influences, 1450 - 1900' (pp 134-156);
Chapter Seven: 'Surface Patterning from Indigo to Ikat, 600 - 1900' (pp 157-180);
Chapter Eight: 'The Importance of Cotton and Linen, 1500 - 1950' (pp 181-203);
Chapter Nine: 'New Technology and Fibres, 1600 to Today' (pp 204-229);
Chapter Ten: 'The Art of Textiles, 1850 to Today' (pp 230-255);
Clearly, Mary Schoeser has effectively scoped the most important keystones that one must address in order to better comprehend the historical as well as creative developments associated with textiles and their deployment.
What is critical in this scholarly, well written and therefore easy to read treatment are the excellent photographs that showcase the various ideas that are being espoused by the author to enhance the reader's learning experience. I have only reproduced one of the photographs in her book below and have used a low resolution of the image. This clearly illustrates that the author has selected photographs of high calibre and moreover, that are pertinent to her exposé of a particular idea and/or content. The many photographs in the book are very important to support the written exposé, which heighten the reader’s learning and/or enjoyment experience.
Comment [1]: 'Discovered in Denmark in 1921 and dated to 1390-1370 BC, Egtved Girl's garments include a short skirt made of cords, a construction that can be dated back some 25,000 years to the Upper Paleolithic through the appearance of string skirts on carved Western European 'Venus' figurines. Recent strontium isotope analyses of the wool used show it is not Danish; instead this young woman, about seventeen when she died, had travelled between southern Germany and a place in Jutland (Denmark) or northern Germany.'
This book has given me a far greater awareness of the historical timelines between when textiles first shook the world to its importance to this day. The past and present is what is showcased in this book, but it's the possible futures and reflections on environmental challenges that Mary has stitched into the veins of her narrative that will make it a lasting contribution. It is a must buy for textile artists and designers, fashion professionals, collectors, university and student libraries and moreover, for libraries in general. This text sits proudly in my library among some of the finest reference books on textiles that I possess!
I highly recommend that you purchase this important book for your textile library, or if you are a librarian, then purchase it to add to your library's collection for your members, and the public in general, to enjoy.
Reference:
[1] M. Schoeser, World Textiles: A Concise History, Thames & Hudson Ltd, London (2022).
There are a number of book reviews on this blogspot. For your convenience I have listed the book reviews below:
Textiles: The Art of Mankind - Mary Schoeser
The Pattern Base by Kristi O'Meara - Book Review
Stitch Stories - Cas Holmes
Creative Strength Training - Jane Dunnewold
World Textiles: A Concise History
Introduction
Mary Schoeser's trailblazing reference book, World Textiles: A Concise History (World of Art) that was first published in 2003 by Thames & Hudson has now been revised and updated to incorporate new research in the recently published 2022 edition of the book, also titled, World Textiles: A Concise History (World of Art)[1].
This review is solely limited to the current edition, and not with the revisions that were or were not incorporated with respect to the original edition. As such, it is intended to give only a glimpse into the content of the book rather than graphically detailing its narrative.
With respect to the updated edition of, World Textiles: A Concise History, Mary was asked to join in with a relatively new website - Discover the Best Books, created by Sam Shepherd. She says about the offer, 'I liked the idea because it allowed me to recommend five books that I really do think make a significant contribution to our understanding of textiles, so it wasn't just about me.'
To see Mary Schoeser's recommendations click here on the following link - The "Best books to get you hooked on textile histories By Mary Schoeser".
Mary Schoeser - World Textiles: A Concise History [1]
For many of us, who pride ourselves on having a textile library, Mary Schoeser would already be well known to you. She is internationally recognized as being a world authority on the history of textiles, as well as an international authority on the output of textile artists. Mary Schoeser’s international standing is well documented, from being an International Advisor to the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York), to being the Honorary President of the Textile Society (United Kingdom) to currently being an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the Victoria and Albert Museum. She is also Patron of the Bernat Klein Foundation and the School of Textiles, Coggeshall (click on the following link - School of Textiles). Her publications range from detailing materials and techniques in the decorative arts to monographs on such high-profile international textile artists as Norma Starszakowna (e.g., Telos Portfolio Collection).
There are ten chapters in this A5 288 page paperback edition, with an appendix featuring a glossary of terms, a chapter-by-chapter select bibliography, graphical and subject indexes as well as acknowledgements.
The scope and size of each chapter is informative since it gives the perspective buyer an insight of where the author’s emphasis lies in the management of her treatise.
The book is organized as follows:
Chapter One: 'Prehistoric Materials and Techniques' (pp 11-34);
Chapter Two: 'The Dye and Loom Age, c. 3200 - 600 BC' (pp 35-59);
Chapter Three: 'Trade and Trends, 750 BC to AD 600’ (pp 60-86);
Chapter Four: 'Church and State, 600 - 1500' (pp 87-109);
Chapter Five: 'Western Ideas and Styles Dispersed, 1300 - 1900' (pp 110-133);
Chapter Six: 'Oriental Influences, 1450 - 1900' (pp 134-156);
Chapter Seven: 'Surface Patterning from Indigo to Ikat, 600 - 1900' (pp 157-180);
Chapter Eight: 'The Importance of Cotton and Linen, 1500 - 1950' (pp 181-203);
Chapter Nine: 'New Technology and Fibres, 1600 to Today' (pp 204-229);
Chapter Ten: 'The Art of Textiles, 1850 to Today' (pp 230-255);
Clearly, Mary Schoeser has effectively scoped the most important keystones that one must address in order to better comprehend the historical as well as creative developments associated with textiles and their deployment.
What is critical in this scholarly, well written and therefore easy to read treatment are the excellent photographs that showcase the various ideas that are being espoused by the author to enhance the reader's learning experience. I have only reproduced one of the photographs in her book below and have used a low resolution of the image. This clearly illustrates that the author has selected photographs of high calibre and moreover, that are pertinent to her exposé of a particular idea and/or content. The many photographs in the book are very important to support the written exposé, which heighten the reader’s learning and/or enjoyment experience.
This book has given me a far greater awareness of the historical timelines between when textiles first shook the world to its importance to this day. The past and present is what is showcased in this book, but it's the possible futures and reflections on environmental challenges that Mary has stitched into the veins of her narrative that will make it a lasting contribution. It is a must buy for textile artists and designers, fashion professionals, collectors, university and student libraries and moreover, for libraries in general. This text sits proudly in my library among some of the finest reference books on textiles that I possess!
I highly recommend that you purchase this important book for your textile library, or if you are a librarian, then purchase it to add to your library's collection for your members, and the public in general, to enjoy.
Reference:
[1] M. Schoeser, World Textiles: A Concise History, Thames & Hudson Ltd, London (2022).
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