Textiles are the most ubiquitous, diverse and consistently creative art form on earth. This book celebrates like no other on the subject their spectacular and enduring appeal. Mary Schoeser marshals knowledge gleaned from a lifetime’s immersion in the textile arts to present a sweeping survey of the role textiles have played throughout all of human civilization. Over a thousand historical and contemporary images and highly informed texts illustrate the huge variety of materials, as well as their possible manipulations and surface treatments. Detailed descriptions include histories of private collections and underscore the importance of context for appreciating the exquisite detail of fabric and cloth, with emphasis on geometric, abstract, natural and pictorial imagery.

An extensive resource section provides information about museum and textile associations around the world, making this sumptuous publication the one book that all lovers of textiles will covet.

As an archivist, curator and historian, Mary Schoeser MA FRSA has had access to numerous public and private collections across the UK, Europe and America. Among her many publications are Textiles: The art of mankind (Thames & Hudson: 2012 and 2013), available in Chinese, English, French and German. Honorary President of the Textile Society (UK), she is also affiliated with the Victoria and Albert Museum as an Honorary Senior Research Fellow, and is Patron of the Bernat Klein Foundation and the School of Textiles, Coggeshall.

'With its sumptuous cloth cover and more than 1,000 colour images of historical and contemporary textiles, this fascinating journey through the history and meanings of textiles cannot fail to impress' - Embroidery
'As good as it gets … a wonderful resource and reference book … this wonderfully illustrated book is a rich visual feast … clear and thought-provoking' - Selvedge

'Can be picked up often as a reference, an inspiration, or for personal refreshment … an extraordinary accomplishment that pays tribute to this field and its practitioners' - Surface Design Journal

'The writer’s knowledge of the field and her practical experience of making are evident throughout … a sumptuous - and well-writtendesign resource aimed at inspiring textile art and design of the future' - Textile History

Hardcover 

568 Pages with 1,058 colour illustrations 

Dimensions: 29 cm H | 23.9 cm W | 5.1 cm T