Threads of silk and gold

"This book is a pioneering study of Japanese ornamental textiles made for the foreign market during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. These exquisite embroideries, resist-dyed silks and velvets, tapestries and appliquéd works were an important feature of the Western fascination with all things Japanese at that time, winning numerous accolades at international fairs and being used to decorate homes across Europe and the United States, yet since then they have been largely forgotten. This book, which will appeal to textile enthusiasts and those interested in Japanese art and Japonisme alike, celebrates these remarkable and undervalued textiles, discussing their production techniques, iconography, patronage and trade, and demonstrating how Kyoto craftsmen created a modern art form by adapting their traditional skills to Western tastes. The visual appeal and obvious technical virtuosity of the objects will give the book a broad appeal." --Publisher description.