When I visited the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford with my husband in January, I bought a lovely book - Textiles A World Tour by Catherine Legrand. It was irresistible at the time and has not failed to entrance.
The books is not a systematic world-wide study of textiles but is instead a sampling of the fabrics, patterns and simple garments of six traditional cultures - southeast Asia, India, central America, Romania and Benin. Each has a rich tradition of spectacular, highly coloured textiles.
The region in the book that I found most fascinating was the first considered - Vietnam, Laos and Thailand. This was the favourite for me because I visited Thailand a few years ago and have a wonderful Hmong textile that I brought home with me. Seeing the textiles in this book brings back lovely memories for me.
The choice, though, was a close run thing. The book is a feast for the eyes throughout. The pages glow with vibrant colour and suggest rich texture from beginning to end. There are wonderful clashing pinks and reds, rich indigo, woven and printed cloth and enticing glimpses of the techniques used to create them. There are also delightful insights into the lives of the people.
I dip into the book when, as this weekend, I feel starved of colour and in need of a transfusion. It never disappoints.
The books is not a systematic world-wide study of textiles but is instead a sampling of the fabrics, patterns and simple garments of six traditional cultures - southeast Asia, India, central America, Romania and Benin. Each has a rich tradition of spectacular, highly coloured textiles.The region in the book that I found most fascinating was the first considered - Vietnam, Laos and Thailand. This was the favourite for me because I visited Thailand a few years ago and have a wonderful Hmong textile that I brought home with me. Seeing the textiles in this book brings back lovely memories for me.
The choice, though, was a close run thing. The book is a feast for the eyes throughout. The pages glow with vibrant colour and suggest rich texture from beginning to end. There are wonderful clashing pinks and reds, rich indigo, woven and printed cloth and enticing glimpses of the techniques used to create them. There are also delightful insights into the lives of the people.
I dip into the book when, as this weekend, I feel starved of colour and in need of a transfusion. It never disappoints.
Looks like a fantastic book! I love ethnic textiles and have a number of books that focus on them...always a rich source of inspiration!
ReplyDeleteIt's a book full of pattern and riotous colour. I can well see it (and other books on ethnic textiles) would be a great inspiration to you with all your fascinating work on printing.
DeleteThanks for the great book review. I sometimes (no, too often) buy books from Amazon, sight unseen (I know, silly me), and am disappointed.....so helpful to get a review before pressing the 'buy now' button!! I believe it was after one of your reviews that I purchased 'Drawing Projects', and I love it! Thanks again!
ReplyDeleteI'm so pleased you like the 'Drawing Projects' book. I still dip into it from time to time to find a new approach and always find it thought provoking. I think 'Textiles A World Tour' will be a similar source of inspiration on colour ... when I feel the urge to go away from black and white!
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