Looks at the growing appreciation of fine art tapestry wall hangings as a home decor option.
For centuries we have enjoyed fine art for its creativity, its beauty and its celebration of human endeavor. It has occupied a privileged place in our scheme of things and even now, in the age of mass production and easy availability, it still occupies a special place in our homes. Conversely textiles have long been a mainstay of the human experience. From basic woven cloth to more elaborate decorative fabrics, they have often been seen as, and used as, an everyday commodity.

Nowadays many people are looking for home décor choices that bring together both of these elements: the versatility of textiles and the appeal of fine art. Wall tapestries are an elegant fusion of these two important strands of the visual arts; a perfect marriage of good taste and tactile luxury. Nowhere is this more evident than in the beauty of fine art tapestries which combine the appeal of elaborate textile design with the refinement of fine art.

Although art based tapestry wall hangings have been with us for centuries recent advances in technology, and a growing appreciation of textiles as something more than just practical objects, have helped fine art textile design to flourish and become an important part of our home décor armory.

Much of this renaissance in wall tapestries stems from their ability to capture the drama and excitement normally only found in canvas based art. With their texture, depth and warmth more and more of us are beginning to reappraise tapestry wall art and are looking toward it to enhance our homes.

An alternative to traditional fine art
In particular people are looking at tapestry wall hangings as a direct alternative to traditional fine art. An impressive range of art prints are available nowadays, some of the most popular being traditional paintings from the old masters; everything from famous classic works to 19th century portraits. More recently stretched canvas prints and reproductions have become popular and affordable, again offering a vast array of options.

Although prints enjoy a unique position in home décor these popular paintings are increasingly available as wall tapestries. The woven nature of wall hangings adds depth and texture to these already impressive works and makes a distinct alternative to framed art. A growing number of works from almost all established art movements; Medieval and Gothic, Renaissance, Neo-Classical, Baroque and Pre-Raphaelite art, amongst many others, are now available as tapestries.

Examples include great Renaissance masterpieces, like Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, or Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam. Both of these, like many works of fine art, transfer well to tapestries and capture the drama and excitement of the originals. In particular great romantic works are very popular. François Boucher’s pastoral art from the 17th century was amongst the first style to be transferred from canvas to textiles. These have been persistently popular for three centuries and, due to the success of tapestries capturing the subtlety of fine art, continue to impress audiences now with their depth, color and seemingly effortless skill.