The Christian Oriental Carpet

Fülszöveg

In this volume, two and a half thousand
years are presented and analysed. The
author's research has resulted in complete-
ly new insights and relationships - a revi-
sion of the history of the oriental carpet.
He has been able to trace the pattern back
to Phrygian and other traditions, which
were carried on by the Armenians up to
the beginning of our own century: carpets
as symbols of power, as deeply religious
abstract textile icons. The oriental carpet is
neither of nomadic origin, nor does its
origin lie in central Asia; it is a product of
ancient oriental civilisations in the Arme-
nian uplands at the crossroads of the old-
est trade routes between west, north and
south. The author's assertion is supported
by the visual material he presents. For
the first time coloured illustrations of the
most important and most splendid exam-
ples of every type of carpet have been in-
cluded. The illustrations include book il-
lumination, paintings, arts and crafts and... Tovább

Fülszöveg

In this volume, two and a half thousand
years are presented and analysed. The
author's research has resulted in complete-
ly new insights and relationships - a revi-
sion of the history of the oriental carpet.
He has been able to trace the pattern back
to Phrygian and other traditions, which
were carried on by the Armenians up to
the beginning of our own century: carpets
as symbols of power, as deeply religious
abstract textile icons. The oriental carpet is
neither of nomadic origin, nor does its
origin lie in central Asia; it is a product of
ancient oriental civilisations in the Arme-
nian uplands at the crossroads of the old-
est trade routes between west, north and
south. The author's assertion is supported
by the visual material he presents. For
the first time coloured illustrations of the
most important and most splendid exam-
ples of every type of carpet have been in-
cluded. The illustrations include book il-
lumination, paintings, arts and crafts and
details of architecture and clarify develop-
ments hitherto unrecognised. This work
documents what is probably Armenia's
main contribution to world history. It is a
must for any connoisseur of carpets and
for anyone who does not wish merely to
dream of the Orient. Volkmar Gantzhorn
has specialised in Christian and Islamic art
in recent years. His continuing research is
concerned with surface ornamentation in
book illumination, architecture, ceramics
and arts and crafts in general.
Volkmar Gantzhorn has studied the history
of art, philosophy, psychology, painting,
graphics, sculpture, geography and journal-
ism. In 1961 he qualified as a teacher of art
and has taught in schools, colleges of edu-
cation and polytechnics.
Gantzhorn is active as a painter, graphic de-
signer, sculptor and photographer and has
earned himself a reputation with numerous
exhibitions at home and abroad. Vissza