Asian Costumes and Textiles: From the Bosphorus to Fujiama [Hardcover]

Mary Hunt Kahlenberg (Author)

4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)

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Product Details

Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Skira (Nov 17 2001)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 8881189712
ISBN-13: 978-8881189717
Product Dimensions: 25.7 x 3 x 30.8 cm
Shipping Weight: 2.2 Kg

Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)

Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,991,283 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Product Description

Book Description

A wonderful book that illustrates a wealth of textile and costumes never seen before and covering all the Asian continent from Turkestan to Japan, from India to Indonesia, belonging to the Belgian Mis collection, one of the world's major private collections.

Costumes by their very nature are an intimate expression of the wearer. Clothes hug, shield and advertise the body. Both a personal expression and a public display, clothes connect the wearer to his or her physical environment on a daily basis-think of a fireman's protective coat, a chief's symbolic hat or a tuxedo for formal court presentation. Especially for occasions of importance such as wedding or funeral, clothes broadcast intention and frequently dictate behavior.

The book presents a rich selection of Asian ethnic costumes, brightly colored and beautifully decorated using techniques as varied as embroidery, batik, dyed silk, weaving, suvani, ikats, painted textiles and more. From bold ikat robes from Uzbekistan to beaded skirts from Borneo, from palm fiber jackets from the South Philippines to the silk garments of the Boginese people of Sulawesi: these garments are irreplaceable in today's world. Likewise, the techniques by which they were made are also rarely in use. Some garments were fashioned by cutting material and sewing the pieces together, but many, such as the Balinese scarf intended to wrap around the body, are flat textiles.

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4.0 out of 5 stars (1 customer review)

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4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful photos of ethnic textiles, Jan 2 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Asian Costumes and Textiles: From the Bosphorus to Fujiama (Hardcover)

This beautiful, large, coffee table type book is full of gorgeous color photography. There are tunics from Syria, embroidered veils from the Ottoman Empire, incredibly complex gowns from Afganistan, and wedding saris from India. The chapter on the Far East starts with a large color photo of a peasant's palm fiber rain costume while the next pages are full color photos of Manchurian court dress. The juxtaposition of the two is extrordinary. While there is a whole chapter on South East Asia, with some beautiful textiles from the region, I was dissapointed to find nothing in this book from Vietnam. I also wish some of the costumes could have been modeled on mannequins or people. It's hard to tell exactly what you're looking at in some of the photos, and if you're not familiar with the styles of the clothing, it's often difficult to envision how the pieces are worn.

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Amazon.com: 4.5 out of 5 stars (2 customer reviews)

47 of 49 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful photos of ethnic textiles, Jan 2 2002

By A Customer - Published on Amazon.com

This review is from: Asian Costumes and Textiles: From the Bosphorus to Fujiama (Hardcover)

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeous!, Nov 20 2006

By A reader - Published on Amazon.com

This review is from: Asian Costumes and Textiles: From the Bosphorus to Fujiama (Hardcover)

This book is a stunner! It contains gorgeous photos of many different items of apparel, including dresses, slippers, purses, coats, sashes, vests, scarves, fans, tunics, hats, robes, saris, trousers, blouses, kimonos, and more. Fabrics include silk, linen, cotton, wool, and even tree bark and palm fiber. Most items are from the 19th century, though a few are from the 18th and early 20th centuries, and all appear to be in excellent condition. The costumes thenselves are very beautiful, with designs ranging from simple to extremely detailed, and colors from pale white to vibrant reds, golds, and blues. The photography is spectacular. Often the item is shown draped artfully over an invisible stand, giving a three-dimensional view. There are many full-page close-ups of intricate designs and embroideries. Items on facing pages are in similar or complementary colors. Backgrounds set off the costumes effectively. All in all, a lovely book. Highly recommended.

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