On Collecting Textiles

Textiles, both antique and contemporary, represent a highly under-recognized art form in our society.  For anyone who appreciates artistic expression and skill, as well as diverse cultures and traditions, textiles provide numerous attractions.  We are not talking about financial investment, which is never a reason a to buy art.  The fact is, when compared to other artistic categories (classical antiquities, modern and contemporary art, old masters, religious sculpture, etc.), textiles offer limitless variety at an affordable price.  

Suppose you had half a million dollars in hand to put together a collection.  In the categories mentioned above, such a sum might allow you to acquire just one or two excellent items-- not even a collection.  And how many people have such a budget anyway?  Such an expenditure in antique textiles, however, could result in a truly outstanding assemblage, especially if undertaken carefully and patiently with proper consideration and expertise.  And given the vast range of textile types, there are numerous exciting possibilities to choose from.  One could collect by criteria of material (such as silk, cotton, bast fiber), technique (resist dyeing, embroidery, lampas weaving), function (wedding shawls, floor covering, flags), culture (Greek, Navajo, Minangkabau), geographical location (New England, Sri Lanka, Okinawa), etc.  There are collectors who specialize in nomad weavings, or shaman's clothing, or monastery pieces.  It is fair to say that there are few other artistic areas that offer the opportunity of acquiring examples of such mastery and variety of technique at such a comparatively accessible affordability.

In many cultures and time periods, textiles have been considered the highest art form.  Their creators have been among the most revered members of society.  In Venice, India, and ancient Peru, for example, textiles historically were valued at all social levels, with the most intricate and precious pieces reserved for those at the top, including royalty and spiritual leaders.  Today in Japan, the most accomplished masters are considered, and officially designated, as living national treasures.  European art historians have compared the position of painting as traditionally the highest art form in western societies, to that of textiles in many Asian and Islamic cultures.

In our current age of synthetic fibers, automated production, and disposable garments, we should value all the more these masterful handmade creations, many of which have been treasured and preserved for generations and centuries.

For more discussion of the possibilities of textile collecting, follow this link:

A Guide to Collecting Textiles https://www.christies.com/en/stories/textile-collecting-guide-41c0b01e6af74397b9bb6776bf120040

To learn more about Indian textiles, specifically, and Indian art history and related topics, visit the MAP Academy: https://mapacademy.io