Unit 2: Embroideries and East Asian textiles
History of World Textiles notes · PTU syllabus (BSTD 403-20)
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Unit summary
Embroidery and silk weaving spread across the world along trade routes. This unit covers world embroideries and brocades, and the textiles of China and Japan — their history, origin, techniques and distinguishing features.
After this unit you can
- Describe major world embroidery traditions
- Describe brocades and silk weaving centres
- Describe Chinese textiles
- Describe Japanese textiles
PTU syllabus topics
- Embroideries
- brocades
- Chinese and Japanese textiles — their history
- origin
- technique and distinguishing features
Famous for
Silk, brocades, dragon robes
Kimono, kasuri ikat, shibori
Techniques
Kesi silk tapestry, embroidery
Yuzen dyeing, shibori tie-dye
Motifs
Dragons, phoenix, clouds
Cherry blossom, waves, cranes
Topic 1
Embroideries of the world
English Opus Anglicanum (13th–14th century)
Silk and gold on linen; split stitch and underside couching
Church vestments
Bayeux Tapestry (11th century)
Wool embroidery on linen (laid and couched work)
Norman conquest of England
Crewel work (England, 17th century)
Wool on linen twill
Tree of life, flowers
Blackwork (Tudor England)
Black silk counted stitches
Geometric patterns on shirts
Hungarian and East European folk embroidery
Bright cross and satin stitches
Floral folk motifs
Chinese and Japanese silk embroidery
Satin and couching stitches
Dragons, birds, flowers
- Mexican and Palestinian cross-stitch embroideries and Suzani of Central Asia are other notable traditions.
Topic 2
Brocades
- Brocade (extra-weft patterned silk) spread from China along the Silk Road to Persia, Byzantium and Italy. Byzantine silks (Constantinople) and Italian brocades (Lucca, Venice, Florence, Genoa — Renaissance velvets and brocades with pomegranate motifs) were luxury trade goods; Lyon (France) became the European silk capital in the 17th–18th centuries, where Jacquard invented his loom (1804).
Topic 3
Chinese textiles
- Origins
- Sericulture by about 2700 BCE (legend of Empress Leizu); silk exported along the Silk Road
- Techniques
- Damask, gauze, brocade (jin), kesi (silk tapestry with very fine slits)
- Embroidery
- Four famous styles — Su (Suzhou), Xiang (Hunan), Yue (Guangdong), Shu (Sichuan)
- Motifs
- Dragons (emperor), phoenix (empress), clouds, cranes, peonies, bats (luck)
- Court robes
- Dragon robes with rank badges (mandarin squares)
Topic 4
Japanese textiles
Shibori
Resist dyeing by binding, stitching, folding, pole-wrapping
Arashi (pole), kanoko (bound dots), itajime (clamped)
Kasuri
Ikat
Indigo cotton with white patterns
Katazome and yuzen
Paste-resist dyeing with stencils (katazome) or freehand (yuzen)
Kimono pictures in many colours
Nishijin-ori
Brocade weaving of Kyoto
Obi sashes with gold
Sashiko
Running-stitch quilting on indigo cloth
Geometric patterns; strengthening garments
Boro
Patched and mended indigo cloth
Wabi-sabi aesthetic
- The kimono and obi carry seasonal and symbolic motifs — cherry blossoms, waves, cranes.
Key terms
- Opus Anglicanum
- Medieval English ecclesiastical embroidery
- Silk Road
- Trade routes linking China with the West
- Kesi
- Chinese silk tapestry
- Shibori
- Japanese resist dyeing
- Sashiko
- Japanese running-stitch quilting
Quick revision
- Opus Anglicanum, Bayeux, crewel, blackwork, folk embroideries.
- Brocade spread: China → Persia → Byzantium → Italy → Lyon.
- Chinese sericulture, kesi, four embroideries, motifs, dragon robes.
- Japanese shibori, kasuri, yuzen, Nishijin, sashiko, boro.
Important exam questions
Practice questions written to the PTU exam pattern for this unit's syllabus: short answers (Section A style) and long answers (Sections B and C style).
Short-answer questions
- Q1.What is crewel work?
- Q2.Where is Opus Anglicanum from?
- Q3.What is kesi?
- Q4.Name the four famous Chinese embroideries.
- Q5.What is shibori?
- Q6.What is sashiko?
Long-answer questions
- Q1.Describe the major embroidery traditions of the world.
- Q2.Describe the history and techniques of Chinese textiles.
- Q3.Describe the textile arts of Japan.
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