A fascinating wall tapestry project is currently underway in Scotland.
One of the worlds most famous tapestries series The Hunt of the Unicorn which is permanently resident at the Cloisters, Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York is being re-woven at Stirling Castle in Scotland. The original wall hangings consists of 7 tapestries dating from 14951505. It is believed that the original wall tapestries were woven in the southern Netherlands, (Flanders) perhaps in Oudenaarde or Arras, which were the centers of tapestry weaving from the mid to late 1400s.
The Stirling Castle large tapestries project will cost 2 million and is expected to take 12-16 years to complete. While the wall tapestries Hunt of the Unicorn series has been shrouded in mystery for over 500 years, many scholars have speculated on the purpose and meaning of these large tapestries and the symbols in them (unicorn, hunt etc). More information is available @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hunt_of_the_Unicorn.
Stirling Castle, Stirling, Scotland dates back to 1110 and was under siege at least 8 times during its history and rebuilt. Several Scottish Kings and Queens have been crowned at Stirling, including Mary Queen of Scots in 1543. More information is available @
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stirling_Castle
The castle has been undergoing major renovation, restoring it to the Renaissance period of 1540. At that time there were more than 100 wall hanging tapestries throughout the castle, many with the unicorn motif.
The Hunt of the Unicorn wall tapestries project started in 2002. Since there are seven tapestry panels to be woven, the weavers are set up in two locations. One team will be weaving the wall hangings in a special room set up with high warp looms in the castle, while the other at the Tapestry Studio at West Dean College in Chichester, Southern England. The weaving of these famous tapestries was part of a project to furnish the castle as it would have been in the 16th century. Each tapestry is being duplicated to exactly (or as close as possible) to the originals, except that they will be 10% smaller to accommodate the wall space. Ultimately the tapestries will be displayed at the Queens Presence Chamber at Stirling Castle. This historic undertaking of weaving these custom tapestries will give the average person an idea of what it takes to create and weave a wall hanging tapestry.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Stirling_Castle_Chapel_Royal_Unicorn_Tapestries.jpg
Today, the art of weaving hand woven tapestries and custom tapestries skilled weavers in 100% wool is still a craft that exists and is available from Heirloom European Tapestries. Tapestries are woven in the ancient manner of both warp and weft threads. (Interlocking threads that are hand woven one thread at a time to create the picture). The art of wall tapestry weaving dates back to the 11th century, and has been transported to the 21st century by craftsmen that have kept tapestry weaving alive for centuries by passing down the tradition from generation to generation. You do not have to own a castle, or have a royal income to have a design specifically woven for your home. If you do not need a custom edition, there are hundreds of stunning hand woven tapestries available from Heirloom European Tapestries- including several of the series from the Hunt of the Unicorn. It is truly an Art form for the 21st century.
Copyright March, 2011 Heirloom European Tapestries
One of the worlds most famous tapestries series The Hunt of the Unicorn which is permanently resident at the Cloisters, Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York is being re-woven at Stirling Castle in Scotland. The original wall hangings consists of 7 tapestries dating from 14951505. It is believed that the original wall tapestries were woven in the southern Netherlands, (Flanders) perhaps in Oudenaarde or Arras, which were the centers of tapestry weaving from the mid to late 1400s.
The Stirling Castle large tapestries project will cost 2 million and is expected to take 12-16 years to complete. While the wall tapestries Hunt of the Unicorn series has been shrouded in mystery for over 500 years, many scholars have speculated on the purpose and meaning of these large tapestries and the symbols in them (unicorn, hunt etc). More information is available @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hunt_of_the_Unicorn.
Stirling Castle, Stirling, Scotland dates back to 1110 and was under siege at least 8 times during its history and rebuilt. Several Scottish Kings and Queens have been crowned at Stirling, including Mary Queen of Scots in 1543. More information is available @
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stirling_Castle
The castle has been undergoing major renovation, restoring it to the Renaissance period of 1540. At that time there were more than 100 wall hanging tapestries throughout the castle, many with the unicorn motif.
The Hunt of the Unicorn wall tapestries project started in 2002. Since there are seven tapestry panels to be woven, the weavers are set up in two locations. One team will be weaving the wall hangings in a special room set up with high warp looms in the castle, while the other at the Tapestry Studio at West Dean College in Chichester, Southern England. The weaving of these famous tapestries was part of a project to furnish the castle as it would have been in the 16th century. Each tapestry is being duplicated to exactly (or as close as possible) to the originals, except that they will be 10% smaller to accommodate the wall space. Ultimately the tapestries will be displayed at the Queens Presence Chamber at Stirling Castle. This historic undertaking of weaving these custom tapestries will give the average person an idea of what it takes to create and weave a wall hanging tapestry.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Stirling_Castle_Chapel_Royal_Unicorn_Tapestries.jpg
Today, the art of weaving hand woven tapestries and custom tapestries skilled weavers in 100% wool is still a craft that exists and is available from Heirloom European Tapestries. Tapestries are woven in the ancient manner of both warp and weft threads. (Interlocking threads that are hand woven one thread at a time to create the picture). The art of wall tapestry weaving dates back to the 11th century, and has been transported to the 21st century by craftsmen that have kept tapestry weaving alive for centuries by passing down the tradition from generation to generation. You do not have to own a castle, or have a royal income to have a design specifically woven for your home. If you do not need a custom edition, there are hundreds of stunning hand woven tapestries available from Heirloom European Tapestries- including several of the series from the Hunt of the Unicorn. It is truly an Art form for the 21st century.
Copyright March, 2011 Heirloom European Tapestries
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