Interwoven Globe - The Worldwide Textile Trade, 1500-1800 Edited by Amelia Peck Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY Yale University Press ISBN 978-0-300-19698-6 2013, 350 pp. Hardback You will recall that I announced the Interwoven Globe: The Worldwide Textile Trade 1500-1800 Exhibition on September 15, 2013. Since then, we had very nice reports of visits from Devon, Lyn, and Arlene. It was requested that I write a book review of the catalogue, but I found little to tie the 350-page catalogue to lace. (For Hispanic lace scholarship that relates to this time period and geography, look up Florence May in the Arachne archives.) Now, I am shelving the book, having made my way to the finish at a snail's pace. I think it important to voice a critical opinion, bearing in mind that I read and review a lot of books. This book consists of nine chapter essays by seven museum staff members and scholars, covering three centuries of history. The subject is vast, and the exhibition was very large. When this is to be the case, a very organized editor is required. The first 135 pages are devoted to History, a subject I love. However, reading was not made easier by the way the text is organized - with frequent references to Notes, and pages and pages of Notes at the back. One must try to balance a very heavy large art book and keep a finger at the ready to locate clarifications in the form of Notes. It would have been so much nicer if the Notes had been incorporated into the text. The second section of the book is the very nice Catalogue, with individual pieces in the exhibit featured in color and explained in substantial detail. The History (first) part of the book also sent the reader to these, creating quite a unique exercise of fingers fumbling over each other! This sort of thing discourages the non-genius. No wonder so many people dislike history. In this case, it has the suggestion of intellectual exclusivity. Yes! I am speaking up. Museum professionals should be mindful that readers want to absorb the contents of museum exhibitions and accompanying catalogues with ease. Their aim should be to educate in user-friendly ways, being aware that in 2014 nearly everyone likely to be interested in an exhibition subject is in "information overload". No one has yet mentioned it, so in a separate memo, I will share what this book has to say about Frances Morris, who was very important to the establishment of the lace collection at The Metropolitan. Jeri Ames in Maine USA Lace and Embroidery Resource Center
- To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [email protected]. For help, write to [email protected]. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
