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Wall Decor
Wall Decor
Explore NOVICA's Wall Decor Collection. Discover mirrors, relief panels and tapestries amid this vast range of unique designs, handcrafted by artisans from around the world. From alpaca tapestries, handwoven using centuries old techniques, to intricate hand-forged metal work, you will find unique designs and materials that showcase the iconic visual representations of each artisan's regional culture.
Explore NOVICA's Wall Decor Collection. Discover mirrors, relief panels and tapestries amid this vast range of unique designs, handcrafted by artisans from around the world. From alpaca tapestries, handwoven using centuries old techniques, to intricate hand-forged metal work, you will find unique designs and materials that showcase the iconic visual representations of each artisan's regional culture.
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The Village Council
Your answers straight from the village experts
As with any work of art, direct sunlight will fade colors over time, especially for tapestries with natural dyes. We recommend hanging your tapestry in an area that avoids direct sun exposure to maintain vibrancy. To clean your woven tapestry, use a vacuum with an upholstery attachment or dry clean if necessary. Spot treatment can also be used with a gentle fabric cleaner, but we recommend testing it on a small area first. Alternatively, you may hand wash your tapestry using cold water, then hang it to dry in the shade. Some tapestries made from cotton fabric may be machine washed on cold.
When it comes to handcrafted traditional tapestries, the most common materials include wool, cotton, silk, and natural dyes. Certain regions incorporate unique materials or designs into their tapestries. In the Andes, alpaca fiber is commonly used. In India, one finds batik printed cotton. In Mexico and Central America sheep wool and natural cotton threads are frequently used. In Thailand, rich silk material is a feature of handmade tapestries.
To craft an eco-friendly tapestry, traditional artisans hold themselves to high standards, both in terms of materials and processes. Natural fibers, textiles, and dyes are derived from plants and trees. Some artisans even incorporate recycled or upcycled materials in their commitment to eco-friendly processes. Traditional art forms that are passed down through the generations are often painstakingly made by hand. They are naturally eco-friendly, as they avoid mass production, factory runoff, and industrial waste. This also means that each tapestry is uniquetruly one of a kind.
When it comes to tapestries, function meets style! A handmade tapestry can be a great way to brighten up any living space while providing insulation against the cold. Materials like alpaca and sheep wool create natural warmth by trapping cool air inside the cloth, creating a more stable temperature within the room.
While factory-produced tapestries are increasingly available to consumers, traditional, authentic tapestries are handmade by artisans who often learn the artform from older generations. Skilled makers from the Andes, India, Mexico and Thailand make use of foot-treadle or backstrap looms, where they interweave warp and weft threads and then tamp them down into a tight stitch. An artisan may finish a handmade tapestry by using a needle and thread or a sewing machine for final touches.
Traditional tapestries depict scenes and images which are drawn from the lives and natural environments of the artisans who craft them. Some include geometric designs, like the mandala, which is thought to represent wholeness and symmetry. Others make use of paisley, floral, or leafy patterns, particularly in tapestries from India. Central American tapestries may incorporate geometric motifs, animals, and people, while Mexican tapestries are often colorful with Greca patterns and designs. Thai artisans use symbols that are popular within Thai culture, religious characters, animal scenes, or depictions of human forms. Unique tapestries from the Andes are often vibrant with elaborate scenes that incorporate folklore, village life, and pastoral existence.
The methods for making tapestries vary as widely as the regions from which they come. Because many traditional artisans adopt the methods of their ancestors, they have kept those ancient artforms alive and well. In the Andes, weavers often work on a wooden treadle loom in which they use foot pedals, called treadles, to control the weave of the tapestry. In Central America, the treadle loom and the backstrap loom are both integral to tapestry art. The backstrap loom is one of the oldest techniques which dates back thousands of years, in which one part of the loom is attached to the weaver and the other part is attached to a fixed object (historically, a tree). To create vibrant color, artisans embroider and dye their tapestries with natural plants and pigments. Around the world, weavers use tie-dye, Dabu (the application of wax or gum clay and resin to the cloth to create a diffuse color effect), Batik (an ancient method in which dye-resistant wax is applied to cloth to create select patterns of color), hand embroidery, and patchwork to create unique and diverse tapestry art.
The tapestry is an ancient textile art form that dates back thousands of years to early civilizations in Peru, Egypt, and Thailand. In Peru, skilled weavers used colorful camelid fiber threads to create beautiful tapestries for ritualistic funeral mantles. Ancient Incas wove short tunics (Unku) to show importance and social status. Ancient Egyptians crafted shroud-like tapestries to bury their dead. Tapestries gained international prominence when Europeans began to decorate their castles and churches with elaborate textiles that depicted historical scenes, as well as religious messages. Today, skilled artisans preserve the ancient techniques of their ancestors. In Thailand, for example, silk weavers are renowned for techniques that have been used since the rule of the Angkor kings circa 800 A.D. In Central America, contemporary weavers pay homage to early Mayan artisans who used plants, shells, and even snails to color their first tapestries in the 15th century. In India, where some of the first tapestries were made and the textile industry became the base of their economy, the skills of generations past still live on in modern artisans.
Featured Reviews
ABSOLUTLEY STUNNING
I am extremely happy with this beautiful piece of artwork. Words cannot describe how stunning this is. It is simply amazing. The craftsmanship is amazing. I would recommend this piece to everyone who enjoys and appreciates handcrafted pieces. I definitely will be purchasing more pieces for my self and my family.
Michele
Jul 19, 2020
Classy and Unique
This mirror is not huge, measure to be aware of the size. I expected something a bit bigger - but I hung it up and it has really grown on me. It is a lovely accent piece, the colors are rich, but not gaudy. It is well made, and I enjoy seeing it every day.
Nancy
Jan 29, 2023
Hangs on the front of my house
We love this piece it’s so colorful and beautiful! We had it in the house for years and now outside on the top of our house right in front and it’s beautiful and has held up so well. Totally recommend this product it exactly as pictured and is super eye catching.
Featured Artist
Seji Taram Hand-carved sculptures
"I'll always remember what my husband said before died, he wanted me to carry on caring wisely for our children, and he also encouraged me to be a stronger woman for our children's sake."
It is with a very heavy heart that we mourn the death of Ketut Taram from lung cancer. He was the best man I ever knew, and the best husband I could... read more
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