The Orientale Tapestries date from the 17th century and were associated with the first glimpses of that world by Jesuit missionaries. They became very popular in France and stimulated an interest in exotic and oriental art which has continued to this day.

Many oriental tapestries were not first hand artefacts but elaborate copies of engravings made by missionaries. This style retained its popularity throughout the 18th and 19th century mainly due to the very different nature of the Eastern world, culture and traditions. This culture difference fuelled the curiosity for more knowledge and art from this part of the world. In time the style of the Orientale emerged with some distinct characteristics. The tapestries were almost always tobacco coloured and were decorated with exotic flora, people or creatures, often with remarkable precision. Today these tapestries continue to be popular and offer a glimpse into the Eastern culture and way of life which held a real fascination in the 18th and 19th century.

A distinct piece of work in this tradition is La Recotte des Ananas which is part of a series named, “The Story of the Emperor of China.” A daily scene is shown, typical of China, with peasants picking fruit. The landscape is outlined with a pagoda and other buildings, and a Chinese Empress gestures towards the fruit. The detail is lavishly and exquisitely presented. Tropical fruits in the scene identify this as an exotic Eastern context and not one from Europe. A classical example of the Orientale style, the original is believed to have been commissioned by Louis Alexandre de Bourbon and woven between 1697 and 1705.

These forms were almost certainly not seen first hand by the tapestry weavers but brought back via missionaries and their engravings. Six of the original ten tapestries are now housed in the Getty Museum, Los Angeles.

In 1844 audiences at the Exposition of Industrial Products in France were stunned by the vivid nature of two famous orientale tapestries with their detail and depiction of exotic far off lands. Designed and woven by Charles-Jean Salloundrouze de la Mornaix, the tapestries “Asia” and “Royal Elephant” fascinated and enraptured the crowds, helping to facilitate the message that other cultures existed that were very different from Europe.

Eastern style tapestries enjoyed a short period of popularity, however they remain in vogue today. The pieces act as a record of a way of life abroad and a statement of places once visited, whilst giving an insight into the way in which Europeans perceived the Eastern world during the 18th and 19th century. In tapestry form they make a bold and distinct statement as a wall hanging in the modern home.

About the Author

Angela Dawson-field writes extensively on art, history and tapestry wall hangings . In her spare time she sources products for The Tapestry House

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Recent advances in technology have meant the art based tapestries that have retained their popularity for centuries continue to be a sought after item for the modern home.

A break with tradition

A wall tapestry offers an alternative to the traditional fine art painting and with an increasing portfolio of choice from the Old Masters to modern art, the time to consider a tapestry in the home has never been better. Popular and classical paintings can be reproduced through sophisticated textile design to provide an impressive feature for the wall. Examples include Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam and Raphael’s Cherubs. Amongst the first style to be transferred from canvas to tapestry was François Boucher’s pastoral art created during the 17th century. The depth and vividness of these works continues to fascinate and impress today’s audience.

Scenery and Landscape Tapestry

From Constable to Leonardo Da Vinci, many landscape paintings have been reproduced as tapestries and remain popular today. Verdure tapestry was one of the earliest forms and featured lush green landscapes. The depth and richness of these pieces depicted nature in all its glory and provided a fitting piece for the home. Bruegel on the other hand, captured real life in dramatic and captivating ways. The Hunters in the Snow is an example of an expansive landscape filled with detail and available as a tapestry wall hanging.

Oriental work evokes tales in the Far East and exotic lands. Beijing artist Vail Oxley captures still life with scenery in a peaceful setting in The Lily Garden, creating an enchanting tableau. Using a rich weave in tapestry brings the drama and colourful nature of the work to life.

Still life and Floral Tapestry

Floral art is a popular choice for a fine art tapestry, where the transition from canvas to tapestry has added perspective to these exquisite creations. Paul Gauguin and Vincent Van Gogh are well known artists who have had paintings transformed to tapestry via detailed weaving techniques. The Sunflowers is renowned the world over and in tapestry format brings a bright summers day and a fresh ambiance to the home. Contemporary work by Stewart Sherwood includes Wine for Two which enables still life to blend into a modern home in a classical and tasteful way.

A Distinct and Elegant Touch

Fine art and tapestry was at one time the domain of the select few. Thanks to modern day high detail weaving techniques tapestry is something that is a classical and affordable piece for the home. Traditional fine art is enhanced by the detailed weave and texture of tapestry, providing a select and distinctive feature in interior design. Tapestry and fine art are now accessible to those who desire elegance and classical décor in their homes.

About the Author

Angela Dawson-Field writes extensively on home decor and tapestries & wall hangings. She divides her time between family and The Tapestry House

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Early maps tended to reflect what people knew or remembered and were largely topographical in nature. Often, these early pieces depicted myth and lore, combining to create “living maps” that were passed form generation to generation. Formalising the topography into early maps, knowledge became standardised and sowed the foundation of early cartography.

By the Middle Ages cartography had slowed in that accuracy became replaced by religious depiction through maps. Examples of strong belief can be seen in some maps where the Holy Land is shown to be at the centre of the earth. Another example is Europa Regina by Johannes Bucius which shows an early and elongated map, depicting Europe as the Queen of the World.

The Age of Seafaring during the 16th and 17th centuries saw new interest in map making, particularly the British and the Dutch taking to the seas and exploring new lands. At this time maps became increasingly artistic. An East Indies map in tropical colouring with pineapple trees and other exotic flora and fauna, designed to capture the imagination and evoke the scent of spice in the air is a typical example. As the demand for cartographers grew in the 17th century the artistic nature of maps from a purely functional item to a work of art began to evolve.

Maps were often decorated elaborately with sea creatures or mythical characters. Many of these very accomplished draughtsmen created quite unique works of art from map making. Maps designed by Petrus Plancius (1552-1622) or Abraham Ortelius (1528-1598) were frequently found embellished with intricate pictorial content. A successor to Abraham Ortelius was the Dutch cartographer Jan Baptist Vrients (1552-1612) who designed Obis Terrae Compendosia. The world is split into two hemispheres and surrounded by ornate and detailed pictorial decoration. The map brings a perception of how the world looks and a plethora of exotic creatures and landscapes from the far flung shores of the globe.

Another famous example is Nova Totius Terrarum, designed by Henricus Hondius (1597-1622), a Dutch Cartographer. This 17th century map is an ornate depiction of the world and is surrounded by detailed nautical scenes, perhaps reflecting the age and drama of exploration by sea as mythical creatures rise from the ocean and men are seen contemplating their journey.

Antique maps are increasingly popular in the modern home and make elaborate tapestries in home décor. There are a number of ways in which an antique map can add charm and elegance to the home, whether in poster, print or tapestry format and are much appreciated by connoisseurs of good taste.

Copyright © The Tapestry House, all rights reserved.

About the Author

Angela Dawson-Field writes extensively on art, history and tapestries & tapestry art. In her free time she travels Europe sourcing products for The Tapestry House

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The first thing you need to get started making postcards with online photo printing is a picture. You probably have a camera and take plenty of your own pictures already. You may want to choose from pictures you already have, or you may want to go out and shoot something especially for the purpose of sending it as a postcard. You can personalize this quite a bit just through your choice of image. For example, if you live in New York City, and you know someone who loves penguins, you can go to the zoo and take a picture of a penguin. If your special someone is away, and she missed your cat more than she misses you, you can take a picture of your cat and send it to her. You can even send them direct from the provider of your online photo printing.

Once you’ve selected the image to send on a postcard, all you need to do is print it, really, and then write some stuff on it, put some postage on the back, and send it. The beauty of it is, it’s cheap and convenient to print photos you have stored in an online gallery—if your online gallery website offers printing services. An online gallery also offers safe storage for your irreplaceable photographs. No matter how many hard drives you have, if something happens to your home you might lose a lot of your irreplaceable photos. Thus in addition to providing online photo printing, online galleries offer a safe supplementary backup strategy to protect your valuable photo files.

The quality of printing from online galleries is outstanding. So much so that online photo printing can be hard to tell from old fashioned film printing. Online galleries offer top quality, economical options for online photo printing. The better online galleries use high-quality, Kodak photo paper, just like the kind of paper used for printing enlargements from film negatives optically. They use very good quality photo printers to get vibrant, clear, accurate color. Most services offer a variety of sizes to suit your printing needs as well.

If you are using a digital camera, all you need to do is upload the photos to take advantage of this service. If you have older photos, you can scan them or have a scanning service do it. Once your photos are online, the better online gallery services offer online editing tools so that you can enhance your photos. From there, you can order prints in a variety of sizes, in either glossy or matte, with an easy online form.

About the Author

MJ Johnston writes for a variety of websites, including Hoorray, a photo sharing site that offers the quickest and easiest way to build a free online photo album, as well as free online photo storage.

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IS White Gold the Best?

This is something that you have to really have to think about… or not! Some people just prefer 14K White Gold over either Yellow Gold or Sterling Silver on principal; if nothing else. In this way they are able to wear any on the custom crafted Irish Rings that they might want without anyone really knowing the difference. Sometimes it is more fun to keep them guessing whether your ring in Sterling Silver or actually 14K White Gold. You actually cannot tell the difference just by sight alone. Thus for some people; 14K White Gold Irish Rings really are the best.

Are Men’s and Ladies Available?

You can find several different designs of Ladies 14K White Gold Irish Rings, however not that many different designs available in the Men’s styles and sizes. This does not say that the selections of Men’s Irish Rings out there. There are several different places to look both online and in different jewelry catalogs and physical stores that will carry many different sizes and designs of Men’s 14K White Gold rings for you to choose from. There are bound to be many different designs that you will really like and others that might not suit your fancy.

Is the Claddagh the ONLY design available?

This is a resounding “No!”; it is simply the most well known symbol of Ireland that the world is aware… besides the shamrock, that is! If you really research what the Claddagh means you will find out that the 2 Hands means Friendship holding the Heart (Love) over which sits a Crown (Loyalty). Any of the Irish Rings that have this powerful symbol are sure to speak volumes… much more than your words ever could; or maybe just add to everything that you have already told him or her.

What about 14K White Gold Engagement Rings?

This is another category altogether that you can find many different designs available in 14K White Gold. The most common design is the traditional Claddagh; for obvious reasons, of course as this really symbolizes the everlasting love that lead you to ask her to marry you in the first place. You might think that the only ring that can actually be called and Engagement Ring has to have a Diamond in it; but this is not exactly the full story. Do you realize that any type of ring with a precious or semi-precious stone can be an Engagement Ring? Any of these beautiful Claddagh rings is a perfect Engagement Ring because of what they stand for as a whole.

About the Author

Choosing the right Irish Ring is tough! Sponsored by Irish Indeed - http://www.irishindeed.com - you’ll want to read this guide about Irish Wedding Rings and Silver Irish Rings.

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Typically we think of mosaic tile and its use in swimming pools and similar areas. These uses can be quite stunning when they are used to create an outdoor mural in your swimming pool. Many people have created an image in the bottom of their swimming pool with the use of mosaic tile. The designs that can be created by the artisans that work with this material is incredible and will liven up your pool area in a way that no other material can.

If you have a fountain in your backyard landscaping, the use of mosaic tile can add to the beauty of this addition to your yard. When a fountain is placed in a garden area surrounded by flowers, the look is incredible. Add mosaic tile to the area around the fountain and you will have a look like no other. It will create a serene beauty that will give you hours of peaceful beauty when you are in your garden.

The walkways and paths that are in your backyard or even front yard landscaping are a great opportunity to use mosaic tile for a fabulous look. Create a design that suits your own taste and style for the areas of the backyard that are often neglected.

Your outdoor furniture can benefit from the look of mosaic tile as well. Creating a designer look on top of your garden tables with mosaic tile is a way to create outdoor furniture that is like nothing you will find on the market. When you use mosaic tile, you will be able to choose the tiles and create a look that is exactly what you want, not what you are able to find in the stores.

There are many landscaping ideas that you can use in your yard that can be enhanced with the look of mosaic tile. Imagine the walkways that meander through your garden gleaming with the look of these colorful designs. You can top the benches in the garden as well with a lovely design that you create on your own. The ideas are endless if you consider all of the surfaces in your outdoor landscaping that would benefit from the colorful and unique look of mosaic tile.

When you are choosing the tile for your mosaic design, it is very important that you choose very high quality materials. The piece that you create will last much longer if you start off with the best materials. You should look for a dealer that will be able to provide you with the highest grade mosaic tile available in the market. You should use a professional to install the tile in some of the more difficult areas. But it is possible to top your furniture on your own and transform a dull and lifeless piece of outdoor furniture into something colorful and stunning for your yard.

About the Author

Peter Geisheker is the CEO of The Geisheker Group marketing company. Peter develops and implements strategic marketing programs for businesses including mosaic wall art and mosaic tile.

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From these “baby houses,” the doll house evolved and even today we have some exemplary pieces in museums all over the nation. Among the most famous of these doll houses is the “Queen Mary’s” doll house which was created by Sir Edwin Lutyens. In North America one of the most elegant doll houses is the Colleen Moore Fairy Castle, and the Thorne Rooms. These very famous doll houses are all housed in famous museums around the world.

As you can see, building a doll house is not only an interesting hobby to start with a child, but it is also very educational, especially if you study up on interesting, famous doll houses, and visit a few doll house museums with your child.

Building the Doll House You Have Always Dreamed of

Do you want to know how to build a great doll house? First you need to decide on whether this will be a play doll house or a collector doll house–one that will keep all of those treasured miniatures. You will also need to decide on the scale you are going to use to build the doll house, most are built at a 1/12 scale, or one inch per every real life foot.

Your Doll House Design

Before starting, think about the doll house design you want. There are several doll house plans you can buy, which aren’t very expensive. You can get ideas on other websites. You might even want to visit a few doll house museums, and specialty shops to get a design.

If you are not an experienced carpenter, then you want to start with a simple plan. If you do not have much experience and try something too difficult, you will get discouraged fairly easily.

The Pattern

You can either purchase an already made pattern or draw your own. Remember you will need the floor, three walls and the fourth will be open, as well as two pieces for the roof. Your pattern should also have the windows and doors drawn out.

The Construction

Use ¾ inch plywood for the bottom and 3/8 inch plywood for the walls. Then place your pattern over the wood and mark it. Cut the wood with a saw and then cut out the doors and windows.

Once you have everything cut out, sand it all smoothly, glue it together with wood glue, and add a few small nails to make it stronger. After you have glued and nailed the structure, sand it all again to make it smooth. Once it is all put together you can paint it and it’s all ready.

You and your child will be ready for hours and hours of pleasure. Dollhouses are not just made for children to play with. There are all kinds of furniture and accessories that you will love making with your child. Some of these are made from specialized woods and are fabricated in intricate detail. Other accessories are made with cardboard, clay and a little varnish.

You and your children will enjoy making the dollhouse, playing with it, adding furniture, decorations, accessories, and seasonal items.

About the Author

Visit the place for dollhouses and miniatures. Find everything from play dollhouses for young children to grand mansions for collectors. We specialize in charming doll house kits for every skill level and budget. And don’t forget the dollhouse furniture! Visit us online at http://www.TheMagicalDollhouse.com today!

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If you happen to know of a tapestry dealer in the nearby area, then that is perfect to just hop in your car, take a drive there and peruse through all the samples and sizes that they might have. Unfortunately not all dealers will have something you like, so a great way around this would be to log onto the internet and find yourself a tapestry that will come to you. The variety is endless and you can shop around until you find something that you like and that you can afford.

There are so many places online to get a wall tapestry, you have endless choices and it basically boils down to the fact you just have to take the time to find something that you are looking for. You could easily find beautiful landscapes, animals, religious pictures or just plain patterned ones that match the décor of your house. Some of the places will offer you decorative hanging rods to add a special touch to the whole thing. You really shouldn’t limit yourself when there is so much to offer out there.

A few important things to consider are the quality of the rugs themselves; because you cannot feel and see the rugs physically, it’s probably a good idea to read a few of the reviews that other customers have written. It is usually a good way to judge the quality you can expect from the company that you are dealing with and most of the sites will have a testimonials page to look through. You should also be on the look out for money back guarantees or exchange policies in case you are not happy with your purchase. There is nothing worse than paying for something you don’t like or want.

You should also find out if the company takes care to deliver you goods timely and safely. It would be a shame to spend your hard earned money on something that arrives damaged or broken.

If you have kept all of this in mind while buying your self a new wall tapestry, then you are definitely going to get the satisfaction that you deserve when making an internet purchase. After all it is hopefully going to be hanging in your living room for a very long time to come. One of the most trusted places for buying your wall tapestry is Designerwalltapestries.com. They take pride is supplying world-class wall tapestries at an affordable price. They have the largest collection of wall tapestries just waiting for you to choose.

About the Author

For more information about buying a wall tapestry visit the authors website at: Designer Wall Tapestries and European Tapestry Decor

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Learning About Your Camera

The first thing that you should do before taking any photos is to become familiar with your camera. There are hundreds of different types of cameras out there, each one with its own unique set of features. The range of the flash, the depth of the focus, and many other factors can all be different depending on your camera. While reading the instruction manual can be helpful, there’s really no better way to learn about your camera than to experiment with it. Especially if you own a digital camera, there’s really no harm or cost to just playing around seeing exactly what your camera can do. Try shooting things at different ranges, switching between flash and no flash, and so on.

Photo Taking Tips

Once you’ve learned about your camera’s different features and you’re ready to take some real pictures to share online, there are a few useful tips to keep in mind. The first is to pay attention to the background of your shot. A good photo is all about composition, and while your primary focus should be on the subject of the picture, the choice of background can greatly enhance (or detract from) the picture. You should try and choose a background that emphasizes the subject of the photo without obscuring it.

On the subject of backgrounds, an outdoor background is generally preferable to an outdoor one. Artificial lighting tends to do strange things that can affect the coloring in a picture, particularly when it comes to people’s skin. Using a flash indoors can often result in pictures where faces appear washed out or too bright against a dark background. The natural light provided by the sun will produce the best photo results, so be sure to take advantage of it whenever possible.

When you are taking pictures outdoors, you should remember to use a flash, especially on very bright days. When the sun is really bright, it can create dark shadows around people faces, which can really detract from the picture. Using an outdoor flash can help prevent this problem, ensuring that your outdoor pictures look perfectly natural.

Photography is an art form, and you can’t expect to learn everything there is about taking pictures in just a couple of hours. If you’re really interested in online photo sharing, you should take pictures whenever you can. The only way to consistently improve the quality of your pictures is to keep practicing and learning what works best with your camera.

About the Author

MJ Johnston writes for a variety of websites, including Hoorray, a photo sharing site that offers the quickest and easiest way to build a free online photo album, as well as free online photo storage.

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Prominent Furniture Designers:

Charles Rennie. Mackintosh

Charles was a Scottish architect and furniture designer born in the year 1868. He was a representative of the Glasgow school and one of the founders of Art Nouveau. The geometric shapes inspired him and his designs were a reflection of geometric shapes of straight lines with long simple curves in a rectangular framework and unornamented facade. His most commended furniture was for Glasgow tearoom and other numerous private palaces. His work depicted the decorative floral themes. In 1923, he started painting, leaving his career of architect. Charles passed away in the year 1928 in London.

Hugo Alvar Henrik Aalto

Alvar Aalto was born on February 3, 1898. He was a Finnish architect as well as one of the most prominent furniture designers. Artek is the name of his manufacturing company. He excogitated a new cast of laminated bent-plywood furniture in 1932. He used bent plywood with a light birch finish in his work. Artek is still manufacturing some of Aalto’s best works.

Shiro KuramataShiro Kuramata was born in Japan in the year 1934 and was an interior as well as furniture designer. He broke down the trend of furniture designers by designing with innovative materials such as glass, steel mesh, corrugated aluminum and acrylic conserving the Japanese’s concept.

He started his career in 1957 by working in a small departmental store and then went on to open his own workshop Tokyo in 1965 after working as a designer for the merchandising giant Matsuy. He was inspired by Ettore Sottsass after joining the Memphis group and used bright colors in his work. His work of “How High the Moon” was a cleverly designed by using the material of steel mesh. It offers a traditional structure. The shape is of conventional furnished armchair. It has a transparent appearance, which indicates a tension between the object’s form and its function. He also designed the homage to Hoffman “Begin the Beguine” in 1985 and the Design of acrylic roses chair “Miss Blanche” in 1988. In the year 1990, he won the award of Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. He passed away in the year 1991.

Conclusion:

Many more furniture designers had an expertise in their work. All the furniture designer have their own exclusive piece of work for which the furniture designers will be always commemorated for their excellence contributed in the field of furniture designing. Furniture designers have been famous from the carpenter age to the present day. The furniture designers whether in the traditional period or medieval period are always an important part for decorating and making our homes and offices a beautiful place.

About the Author

Find international design at furniture design. Find our furniture design page about furniture designers

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