Medieval Life and Leisure in the Devonshire Hunting Tapestries (Victoria and Albert Museum Studies) (Hardcover)

by Linda Woolley (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
The only large-scale 15th-century tapestries in existence, the magnificent Devonshire Hunting Tapestries are a priceless resource. They provide a unique insight into medieval life, depicting a lost chivalric world in rich and fascinating detail.

The elaborate rituals of the hunt were an integral part of court etiquette in medieval and Renaissance Europe. These tapestries, once owned by the dukes of Devonshire, provide a vivid picture of the hunt in all its forms, and are also a rich repository of costume and textile history; author Linda Woolley mines them for all that they have to tell us about the fashions and customs of the time. The gorgeous illustrations include many stunning close-up details, with four eight-page color gatefolds showing the great tapestries in their entirety. This much-needed book on one of the Victoria and Albert Museum's greatest treasures opens a window onto the vanished world of the late Middle Ages.

About the Author
Linda Woolley is a Curator in the V&A's Department of Furniture, Textiles and Dress. She has researched and lectured extensively in the field of fashionable dress. She is co-author of Shoes, published by V&A Publications in 1999. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Victoria & Albert Museum (December 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810966018
• ISBN-13: 978-0810966017
• Product Dimensions: 12.1 x 10.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #620,794 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book for medievalists, January 14, 2003

By	C. Virtue (Chelmsford, MA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book compared with the one published in 1971. ... About the 2002 Book:

Con:
The 2002 book does not have any footnotes for statements about medieval life, although it does have some books listed for "Further Reading;" most of which I recognize as very reliable sources.
Many close ups repeated in the book, rather than having a fresh image
Not many 'other works' photos to compare.

Pro:
Lots of great close-ups
One large fold-out per tapestry with good color and detail
Image of the back of one tapestry showing the much more technicolor hues before fading
Some comparison with other tapestries, and other things known about noble lifestyle
Talks about restoration but doesn't 'map out' which parts are modern and thus not reliable as documentation (possibly these areas are small enough not to worry about?)
Attention to courtly fashion, fabrics, furs, hats, etc.
Discussion of dating of works; tapestry technique
Discussion of practical details of hunting as shown in the tapestries
Two pictures of similar surviving fancy cloth for clothing

About the 1971 Book:

Con:
About half of the detail photos of the tapestries are in b&w.

Pro:

Photos are sharp and detailed; as good as the 2002 book.
Lots of photos of similar works, including several thought to be from the same "cartoon" and by the same workshop as these four, but with different details; thorough discussion.
Much more extensive bibliography, but no specific footnotes either.
More extensive citations of medieval estate inventories that might be referencing the tapestries.
Much of the "Pro" section from the 2002 book applies here re: analysis of hunting, clothing, technique.

In conclusion:

Either book is a very useful one for costumers looking for good contemporary images of medieval clothing. More specific footnoting and quotes would be even better. Overall, the 2002 book seems to be an updated version of the 1971 book (but without much of the compare-and-contrast different works) including recent scholarship on the tapestries. I encourage anyone interested in these tapestries to get the new book, although fanatics will want both.