Mobile, Malleable, and Modified: Tapestry in Early Modern Literature

Abstract

To complement this volume’s enquiry of the perimeters of ‘breathing’ this paper examines the interdisciplinary nature of the topic, suggesting that early modern literature (1500-1700) breathes new life and context into the history of material objects, particularly that of tapestry. It diverts from a focus on how tapestry weaves narrative and instead explores the reverse - how narrative can re-weave ideas about tapestry. This paper also examines the interactions between the tapestry and early modern literature, through the concept of breathing as a metaphor for weaving narrative and history, and asks: what can early modern literature tell us about tapestry that is not apparent in collections today? It focuses on how tapestry is: mobile, being transported beyond its spatial surroundings; malleable, as the tapestry form can be altered; and finally, modified into a paradoxical form that simultaneously has a surface appearance but also conceals objects and features. This article ultimately argues that tapestry was not merely a decorative feature but a physical object that could be altered by both the writer and its readers.