Silk Designs of the Eighteenth Century: From the Victoria & Albert Museum, London

The designs of 18th-century woven silk in England & France exemplified skills acquired over two millennia, with remarkable range, quality & beauty. The Victoria & Albert Museum in London contains the most important collection of English silk designs in the world, some bound as they were originally, others loose, & still more as samples of fabric in pattern books. The diversity in motif & pattern is astonishing, & subtleties of texture contrast with colors as brilliant & fresh as they were two centuries ago. Here is a treasure house of inspiration for today's designers, & a captivating record for students of costume & textiles. 250 full-color illustrations.