Rondels, medallions and history of textiles

Yesterday the Hajii Baba rug club presented scholar Dr. Mariachiara Gasparini with a wonderful survey of the rondel, aka medallion, motif in early silk textiles and carving.

She showed slides of work from the third century up to about the tenth. At that period, Islamic art became more dominant and the medallions with the circular form and depiction of animals and people were overtaken by geometric forms.

Mostly silk, and often intended for nomad tents, these were beautiful, functional art. Typically the silk traveled west from China, and wool and cotton traveled east to China, on the silk road. 

You'll see metal medallions below, intended for the corners of nomadic tents, to reinforce them.

Her slides were so well labeled that you don't need my help seeing what's what. Weavers among us might enjoy her slides of the weaving structure often used in these weft faced works. And the looms used. Also the knotting style of nonwoven pieces.

One thing that was not in the scope of her talk was something you'll know from art history, that the rondel form is common in medieval and later western art and architecture.

She does point out that the form has cultural and spiritual significance in the countries she covered, from China, Tibet and what we now call the Middle East. And you'll see the carved sleeping Buddha with a pillow decorated with rondels.

Okay, onward to the pix.

Ki

The duck is a favorite motif, showing up all over the place. 

Enjoy the images, and if you make mandalas, circular patterned art forms, you'll know a bit more about the history. India has a mandala tradition, but that wasn't in the scope of this terrific presentation.