Unique in its diversity within a small region, the embroidery of the Epirus region of Greece and the islands of the Aegean and Ionian Seas provides an insightful look at the relationships between textiles and culture. The geographical position of the are

This lavishly illustrated volume is the most complete study of Greek island embroidery yet published. Each group of islands developed quite different styles and repertoires of designs using linen, cotton, and silk. Varying populations — urban foreigners and rural natives, Catholic towns and Orthodox villages, invading navies and armies — all contributed to a fusion of styles and motifs that led to one of the greatest displays of decorative folk art to be found anywhere in the world. The styles range from aristocratic and patrician designs from Rhodes, the monochrome geometric work of Naxos, to the exuberant narrative style of Skyros and the Ottoman-influenced work of Epirus.

This is a sequel and companion volume to the author's Ottoman Embroidery (Studio Vista, 1993). It traces in detail the differences between Greek mainland embroidery (for costume) and island embroidery (for domestic textiles) over five centuries, and documents the difference in designs between islands and island groups.

- Never-seen-before textiles with a wide appeal - Accompanies major exhibition of Greek Island embroideries at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford - dates to be confirmed Embroideries from the Greek islands dazzle with their bright colors and charming motifs. This publication reveals little-known pieces from the Ashmolean Museum at the University of Oxford, newly photographed and published here for the first time. The embroideries include fragments of pillowcases, bed valances, tents and curtains, as well as items of dress. As with all collections of textiles, the story of the Ashmolean holdings is chiefly about their makers and their ingenuity. Once forming the bulk of bridal trousseaux, Greek embroidered textiles were produced and maintained by young and old women for themselves and the house using locally produced materials. A mark of their worth and a platform for self-expression, embroidered textiles also helped Greek women to negotiate their place in the community, signaling status and affiliation.

When in 1821, the Greeks rose in violent revolution against the rule of the Ottoman Turks, waves of sympathy spread across Western Europe and the United States. More than a thousand volunteers set out to fight for the cause. The Philhellenes, whether they set out to recreate the Athens of Pericles, start a new crusade, or make money out of a war, all felt that Greece had unique claim on the sympathy of the world. As Byron wrote, 'I dreamed that Greece might Still be Free'; and he died at Missolonghi trying to translate that dream into reality. William St Clair's meticulously researched and highly readable account of their aspirations and experiences was hailed as definitive when it was first published. Long out of print, it remains the standard account of the Philhellenic movement and essential reading for any students of the Greek War of Independence, Byron, and European Romanticism. Its relevance to more modern ethnic and religious conflicts is becoming increasingly appreciated by scholars worldwide. This new and revised edition includes a new Introduction by Roderick Beaton, an updated Bibliography and many new illustrations.

The materials that decorate our homes and protect us from cold, light, and prying eyes reveal as well as conceal. Drapery and curtain designs tell the story of great shifts in home and work life that accompanied innovations in textile manufacturing technology and the fashion industry over the course of the nineteenth century. Capricious Fancy chronicles the changes in fashionable curtain and drapery styles in the United States and Europe during the Industrial Revolution. This unique compilation contains hundreds of illustrations, most in full color, reproduced from more than one hundred rare pattern books, workroom manuals, trade catalogues, and examples of design literature selected from the collections of The Athenæum of Philadelphia, including the Samuel J. Dornsife Collection of The Victorian Society in America. Each design is annotated with a description of its source and significance. Gail Caskey Winkler's research confirms the mastery of French upholsterers in the art of draping windows, bedsteads, and doorways. The book follows the transmission of high styles from Paris to London to North America before the middle of the nineteenth century and the development of the retail home fashion business, including the mail-order trade. Even as wealth spread, disparity continued between the upper and middle classes in adopting the newest fashions. Meanwhile, the audience for interior fashion publications switched from male building professionals and artisans to female homemakers. With 325 images and historical commentary from a leading educator and historic preservation practitioner, Capricious Fancy is a source of authentic inspiration for preservation professionals, interior designers, set designers, museum curators, and anyone with a passion for period décor.