The Representation Of Women In Fifteenth Century free essay sample

P Essay, Research Paper The Representation of Women in Fifteenth Century Italian Portraiture The Italian Renaissance was a clip of metempsychosis, a burgeoning ofinterest in the classical humanistic disciplines and scientific disciplines. Portrayal as a genrewas on the addition, fuelled by a turning self-contemplation throughwhich adult male was going aware of the innate features that madehim an person. Burckhardt, in _The Civilisation of RenaissanceItaly_ , devotes a chapter to following the representation ofindividual personalities in Renaissance literature. On reading hispremise that, # 8216 ; the development of personality is essentiallyinvolved in the acknowledgment of it in oneself and in others. # 8217 ; ( Burckhardt,1878 ) , it can be seen that this statement is of primeimportance when discoursing portrayal of the same period. Oncecapturing a personality and non merely a similitude became desirable, achange started in the manner portrayal was seen. It takes clip before the desire to portray charac ter overcomesthe convention of picturing adult females in a profile format, like AlessoBaldovinetto # 8217 ; s _Portrait of a Lady in Yellow_ of c. We will write a custom essay sample on The Representation Of Women In Fifteenth Century or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 1465. Profileportraits were an recognized pattern that continued to be popularduring the full 15th century. The 15th century was usedto seeing profile portrayals in the donor pictures of theirchurches, a format that no uncertainty helped to separate givers fromreligious figures, as can be seen in Masaccio # 8217 ; s _The Trinity withthe Virgin and St. John_ . Although there was no forbidden oncontemporary figures sharing the same infinite as spiritual figures, there were obvious differentiations made between, normally in footings ofscale and costume. This leads us to a possible ground why theprofile portrayal remained in usage in Italy when the remainder of Europewas already more normally using a three-quarter face format forportraits. It is possible that during the early portion of thefifteenth century there was a contamination of profanity around theportrayal of secular figures in a mode normally reserved forreligious figures. The profile portrayal besides retained its popularity in Italy due to the influence of Roman coins. Portrait decorations, basedon Roman mintage, were produced in 15th century Italy and weremade for presentation and for memorialization. In the Baldovinettoportrait we can see the farness and self-respect that such a formatbestows on the portraiture of the Sitter. Her silhoutte becomes afluid line, defined against the level background, and along with herdistant regard, promotes her farness from the spectator. The dignitythat is acquired comes at the disbursal of individualism. The adult female inthis portrayal becomes every bit symbolic as the motive of thenar leaves onher sleeve. In male portrayal this decrease of the humanphysiognomy to emblem reinforces the portraiture of position. In GentileBellini # 8217 ; s picture of Doge Giovanni Mocenigo, what remains is theimpression of a powerful adult male, the maintainer of an of import officecloaked in the attire of his rank. However, in the _Portrait of a Ladyin Yellow_ , the Sitter # 821 7 ; s position is generic, conforming tocontemporary conventions of beauty applicable to all women.Boccaccio, a 14th century poet, describes in the _Tesidea_ theappearance of a beautiful adult female, utilizing conventions that were toremain in topographic point throughout the 15th century ; # 8216 ; I say that her braids seemed as gold # 8230 ; and combed so that non a individual knot was in them, and they fell on the support of her reflecting white shoulders # 8230 ; Her forehead was ample and broad, and white and degree and really delicate, beneath which in a distortion arch ending about in a half circle were two superciliums # 8230 ; Beneath these were two reflecting eyes # 8230 ; They were serious and long and good seated, and brown as others neer were # 8217 ; ( Boccaccio, _Tesidea_ , quoted by Dempsey ) Sing this quotation mark, can we be certain that Baldovinetti # 8217 ; s sitterhad hair every bit aureate as her frock, that her eyes were the shade ofbrown we see in t he image, whether so her eyes were brown atall? To what extent did modern-day ideals of beauty becomeoverlaid onto the similitudes of adult females? It is impossible to state, butthe manner this unknown Sitter corresponds to Fifteenth Century idealsof beauty must give cause to doubt the truth of herrepresentation. With no flicker of her single character, and withdoubts at the veracity of her portraiture, she is left deaf-and-dumb person, a symbolof the wealth and good character of the household whose emblem shedisplays so dominantly on her arm. By the terminal of the 15th century, the portraiture of adult females in portrayal was going markedly different. The profile conventionwas bit by bit overcome by three-quarter six electronic warfares, falling into linewith the manner work forces had more normally been represented from the middlehalf of the century. In _Portrait of a Girl_ , a picture from theworkshop of Domenico Ghirlandaio the format gives the Sitter morepresence, and the creative person more range for researching facialcharacteristics. She does, nevertheless, still conform to the ideals ofbeauty and demeanor of her age. Her inactive airs and averted gazecause her to be an object to be gazed on merely every bit much as the figurein Baldovinetti’s _Portrait of a Lady in Yellow_ . The alteration comeswith Leonardo Da Vinci, and can be seen in his _The Lady with theErmine_ , a portrayal of Cecilia Gallerani, kept woman of LudovicoSforza. With her caput and organic structure turned at different angles, aposition that is impossible to keep for any length of clip, the posebecomes mobile. The spectator is cognizant of the formidable possibility ofher gaze going to run into their ain. This flu id pose gives anincreased sense of activity that had antecedently been omitted fromfemale portrayal. Da Vinci believed that a portrayal should show’the gestures of the head, ’ ( Da Vinci ; quoted by Henessy, p101 ) andwe can see this in the elusive word picture of her face whichgives her an watchfulness akin to that of the ermine she holds. Atfirst glimpse it would look that this image of Cecilia Gallerani hasa greater liberty than that of the adult females we have antecedently lookedat. She surely has a greater presence, but Da Vinci remains intight control of the portraiture, and the sum of individualisationhe gives to the picture is in order to convey his position of hissitter. The Sitter is non in control of the manner she is represented, and Da Vinci has used his ain opinion to shown us a ‘beautifulweasel’ ( Calder, 1970 p111 ) . Cecilia Gallerani must hold been awareof this, and the ground she disliked the picture. The artist hasbecome a observer on human character, and the facets that heemphasises are non pleasant. Cecilia’s similitude has been used as avehicle for the show of Da Vinci’s insight into the mind, toshow the grade of perceptual experience that a picture could accomplish. In thesame manner, subsequently creative persons like Titian would utilize the similitude ofbeautiful adult females as a vehicle to demo the beauty of the art ofpainting ( see Cropper, 1986 p175-190 ) . The feeling left after analyzing female portrayal of thefifteenth century, is one of Sitters with small or no control overthe manner they are represented. Their inactive airss become a base overwhich male impressions of reputability and beauty can be laid. At firsta motive for the wealth and good standing of household, her image islater subsumed into a wider discourse on the nature of paintingitself. It is non until the 16th century, with female artistslike Anguissola Sofonisba, that adult females begin to come in this discourse, and in so making, specify their ain criterions in the genre of femaleportraiture. List of Paintings Baldovinetti, Alesso, _Portrait of a Lady in Yellow_ , c.1465.Wood, painted surface 62.9 x 40.6 cm.London: National Gallery Masachio, _The Trinity with the Virgin and St. John_ , 1425FrescoFlorence: S. Maria Novella Bellini, Gentile, _Doge Giovanni Mocenigo_ , c.1478.Panel, 63 ten 47 cm.Venice: Museo Correr Workshop of Domenico Ghirlandaio, _Portrait of a Girl_ , 1490Wood, 44.1 ten 29.2 cm London: National Gallery Da Vinci, Leonardo_The Lady with the Ermine_ c.148355 x 44.4 centimeter Bibliography Burckhardt, J. ( 1878 ) , _The Civilization of the Renaissance inItaly_ , translated by S. G. C. Middlemore, hypertext transfer protocol: //www.fordham.edu/halsall/sbook.html Calder, R. ( 1970 ) , _Leonardo and the Age of the Eye_ , London and Melbourn: Richard Heinemann Ltd Chadwick, W. ( 1992 ) , _Women, Art and Society_ , London: Thames and Hudson Cropper, E. ( 1987 ) ‘The Beauty of Wom en: Problems in the Rhetoric ofRenaissance Portraiture, ’ in M. Ferguson, M. Quilligan and N.Vickers, eds. _Rewriting the Renascence: The Discourses of Sexual Differencein Early Modern Europe_ , Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press Dempsey, C. ( 1992 ) _The Portrayal of Love: Botticelli’s Primaveraand Humanist Culture at the clip of Lorenzo de’ Medici_Princeton: Princeton University Press Dunkerton, J. Foister, S. Gordon, D. and Penny, N. ( 1991 ) , _Giotto to Durer: Early Renaissance Painting in the NationalGallery_ , New Haven and London: Yale University Press Henessy, J. P. ( 1966 ) , _The Portrait in the Renaissance_ , Princeton: Princeton University Press Humfrey, P. ( 1995 ) , _Painting in Renaissance Venice_ , New Haven and London: Yale University Press Kelly, J. ( 1984 ) ‘Did Womans Have a Renaissance? ’ in _Women, Historyand Theory_ , Chicago: Chicago University Press 36c

televsions effect essays

televsions effect essays Television is a pervasive and complex part of childrens lives, there are many factors that affect how much and what they view. In the essay Teaching as an Amusing Activity (1987), Neil Postman argues television conditions us to tolerate visually entertaining material measured out in chunks at a time. He explains the ways in which the media is changing the way our children are learning. Neil Postman starts off by explaining how television is being used as an attractive and seductive medium to make children to like school with shows such as Sesame Street. He describes how in a classroom setting allows the student to participate in asking questions and being interactive, while television lures the children with stimulating, colourful and creative images. Neil Postman than compares the difference in learning behaviours between the classroom setting and sitting in front of the television, which is the problem that is facing America today. Television does not encourage children to go to school but also affects their cognitive and social development. Neil Postman continues on with his idea on how children should learn. It is not what they are learning, since television shows can all be educational, it is how you learn it that is important. By watching television, the children are only expected to play a viewer role, while not realizing the familiarity of their role as a student in a classroom. This is leading American culture in the process of converting their culture from a word-centered to an image-centered society. Television is more and more becoming a curriculum as pointed out by Postman. It influences, warps and manipulates the young minds of children into believing that education is entertainment. Postman(1985) states that there are three basic commandments that educational television provides (pgs.147,148). The first one is Thou shalt have no prerequisites. It means that the viewer does no ...

A Guide to Business Letters Types

A Guide to Business Letters Types There are a number of types of business letters in the English language. Accomplished English speakers should be able to write the following types of business letters to be successful in business. Its helpful, to begin with, gaining a clear understanding of business letter writing basics. Once youve understood the basic layout styles, standard phrases, salutations, and endings, you should continue to improve your business letter writing skills by learning to write the following types of business letters. Do you know what type of business letter you need for a task? Making an Inquiry Make an inquiry when you are requesting more information about a product or service. The inquiry letter tends to include specific information such as product type, as well as asking for further details in the form of brochures, catalogs, telephone contact, etc. Making inquiries can also help you keep up with your competition. Use this letter template to ensure you receive a prompt reply. Sales Letters Sales Letters are used to introduce new products to new customers and past clients. Its important to outline an important problem that needs to be solved and provide the solution in sales letters. This example letter provides an outline, as well as important phrases to use when sending out a wide variety of sales letters. Sales letters can be improved through the use of personalization in some means in order to ensure attention. Replying to an Inquiry Replying to inquiries are one of the most important business letters that you write. Successfully replying to an inquiry can help you complete a sale or lead to new sales. Customers who make inquiries are interested in specific information  and are excellent business prospects. Learn how to thank the customers, provide as much information as possible, as well as make a call to action for a positive outcome. Account Terms and Conditions When a new customer opens an account it is essential to inform them of account terms and conditions. If you run a small business, it is common to provide these terms and conditions in the form of a letter. This guide provides a clear example on which you can base your own business letters providing account terms and conditions. Letters of Acknowledgment For legal purposes, letters of acknowledgment are often requested. These letters are also referred to as letters of receipt and tend to be rather formal and short. These two examples letters will provide you with a template to use in your own work and can be easily adapted for a number of purposes. Placing an Order As a business person, you will often place an order. This is especially true if you have a large supply chain for your product. This example business letter provides an outline to make sure your order placement is clear so that you receive exactly what you order. Making a Claim Unfortunately, from time to time it is necessary to make a claim against unsatisfactory work. This example business letter provides a strong example of a claim letter and includes important phrases to express your dissatisfaction and future expectations when making a claim. Adjusting a Claim Even the best business may make a mistake from time to time. In this case, you may be called upon to adjust a claim. This type of business letter provides an example to send to unsatisfied customers making sure that you address their specific concerns, as well as retain them as future customers. Cover Letters Cover letters are extremely important when applying for a new position. Cover letters should include a short introduction, highlight the most important information in your resume and elicit a positive response from your prospective employer. These two examples of cover letters are part of a larger section on the site providing all the information you will need on taking an interview in English during your job search.

Impending Extinction of Steelhead Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Impending Extinction of Steelhead - Essay Example This is attributed to human activities. Along with the scientific developments came the human population explosion. Hundreds of habitats are being destroyed to serve as agricultural or residential lands. Excessive harvesting of animal meat has led to the decline of reproducing population. Irresponsible disposal of garbage and chemicals has further narrowed life opportunities for organisms. This paper will explore on the reasons for impending extinction of the steelhead. It will also look at the measures taken by concerned entities in preventing this from happening. Our focus would be in the steelhead habitat in the Washington State. This paper is aimed at providing the reader knowledge of what is currently being done today to address the environmental problem. Steelheads are characterized by a dark-olive color, shading to silvery-white on the underside with a heavily speckled body and a pink to red stripe running along their sides. They can reach up to 55 pounds (25 kg) in weight and 45 inches (120 cm) in length. An adult female steelhead will prepare a redd (or nest) in a stream area with suitable gravel type composition, water depth, and velocity. It then deposits 4 to 5 eggs in "nesting pockets" within a single redd. The eggs hatch within 3 to 4 weeks. The juvenile steelhead ... It then deposits 4 to 5 eggs in "nesting pockets" within a single redd. The eggs hatch within 3 to 4 weeks. The juvenile steelhead rears in the freshwater for 1 to 4 years before migrating individually to the open ocean. It stays in the marine environment for 1 to 5 years after which it returns to the freshwater streams and rivers of their birth in order to mate. This process is called anadromy. Unlike other Pacific salmonids, steelheads can spawn more than once and will but will again migrate through estuaries to the ocean. Migrations can reach hundreds of miles as evidenced by a fish tagged in the Sea of Japan and caught six months thereafter in the Skagit River of northern Washington. Some streams host two runs of steelhead, a summer run (returning in summer and early fall and spawning in early to mid-winter) and a winter run (returning in early winter to late spring and spawning within this time frame). FOOD Young steelheads feed primarily on zooplankton. Adults feed on aquatic and terrestrial insects, mollusks, crustaceans, fish eggs, minnows and even other small fishes including other trout. PREDATORS: Fish, mammals, and birds are the primary natural predators of steelhead. Fish predators include the northern pike minnow, walleyes, and smallmouth bass, channel catfish, sculpins, white sturgeon and even some adult salmonids like adult bull trout, rainbow/steelhead trout, cutthroat trout, brook trout, and brown trout. Fish-eating birds present in the Upper Columbia Basin include great blue herons, gulls, osprey, common mergansers, American dippers, cormorants, Caspian terns, belted kingfishers, common loons, western grebes, black-crowned night herons and bald eagles. Mammalian

Bill Clinton Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Bill Clinton - Research Paper Example Because she was a widow, Virginia Dell Cassidy studied nursing in New Orleans to fend for her and her son, immediately after her son William was born. She left the baby in her parents’ home in Hope, Arkansas. Her parents, Eldridge and Edith Cassidy, had a grocery store in Hope which gave credit to blacks and whites alike, even if the town was still heavily segregated. Because of this, Clinton’s grandparents heavily influenced him in his political career, especially on the matters of civil rights and racism. Edith was also a private nurse in Hope. As a beautiful young widow, Virginia Cassidy went out with a number of men but finally settled for Roger Clinton, Sr. Clinton, Sr. was the owner of the Buick dealership store in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Shortly after the marriage, the family moved to Arkansas. It was a good marriage at first, and Clinton, Sr. was a good father for young Bill. However, Clinton, Sr. was an alcoholic and abused his mother a lot. When Bill was ten, Virginia became pregnant with Roger, Jr., and young Bill remarked that that pregnancy was the couple’s attempt to salvage their marriage. Bill loved his younger brother and enjoyed being an older brother. However, when he was fourteen, his mother divorced and remarried Roger Clinton, Sr. This proves that the Clinton-Cassidy marriage was on for the long haul and William Jefferson Blythe III legally changed his name to William Jefferson Clinton as a gesture of love for his stepfather (Clinton, 2004). He was an active school leader and an A student. He was always on the top three of his elementary and high school classes. He was also a musician. He attended St. John’s Catholic Elementary School and Hot Springs High School in Hot Springs, Arkansas and it was there that he decided to have a career in politics even if he loved music and biology (he contemplated being a musician and a doctor but knew he would be great as a public servant). This decision was rooted on two important events in

Analysis Of Thomas Hardy?s The Darkling Thrush :: essays research papers

Thomas Hardy’s The Darkling Thrush, is a poem full of much sorrow. It is dark and bleak, just as it’s title is. Although it is so unhappy, it is also very deep. This poem is one of the many example’s of Hardy’s talent.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The poem is a lyric, with a rhyme scheme of abab. It is written in iambic pentameter, and it consists of quatrains. It is talking about a lack of faith.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hardy begins his poem talking about his setting. It was winter, and it was cold and dark. It seemed lonely, and anyone would have rather been inside. It looked ugly out there, and even the sky and the frost was unattractive. It was a very depressing place.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He continues talking about the setting, but begins to talk about with it makes him think of. He feels that everything around was dead, and the wind sounded like a moan. The world seemed like it used to be alive, but now it’s just small and old. He thought that everyone around him felt the same way. Even though he felt this, he still somehow felt alone.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  All of a sudden, it heard a voice coming from above. At that instant, all that was ugly appeared beautiful. All whom he thought felt the world was dead, are now seeing it for a second time. All was good, and everyone was happy. Still, Hardy felt the same. Instead of thinking things were beautiful, he thought things had gotten worse.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He felt there was no use in being happy. The things that seemed ugly didn’t really matter much to him. He felt even more scared and alone than before. The air seemed happy, and all were blessed with hope. Hardy still saw no hope. Analysis Of Thomas Hardy?s The Darkling Thrush :: essays research papers Thomas Hardy’s The Darkling Thrush, is a poem full of much sorrow. It is dark and bleak, just as it’s title is. Although it is so unhappy, it is also very deep. This poem is one of the many example’s of Hardy’s talent.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The poem is a lyric, with a rhyme scheme of abab. It is written in iambic pentameter, and it consists of quatrains. It is talking about a lack of faith.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hardy begins his poem talking about his setting. It was winter, and it was cold and dark. It seemed lonely, and anyone would have rather been inside. It looked ugly out there, and even the sky and the frost was unattractive. It was a very depressing place.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He continues talking about the setting, but begins to talk about with it makes him think of. He feels that everything around was dead, and the wind sounded like a moan. The world seemed like it used to be alive, but now it’s just small and old. He thought that everyone around him felt the same way. Even though he felt this, he still somehow felt alone.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  All of a sudden, it heard a voice coming from above. At that instant, all that was ugly appeared beautiful. All whom he thought felt the world was dead, are now seeing it for a second time. All was good, and everyone was happy. Still, Hardy felt the same. Instead of thinking things were beautiful, he thought things had gotten worse.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He felt there was no use in being happy. The things that seemed ugly didn’t really matter much to him. He felt even more scared and alone than before. The air seemed happy, and all were blessed with hope. Hardy still saw no hope.

Historic Textiles Essay

Man does not live by bread alone is a very popular saying uttered by one of the greatest men who ever walk this planet. And there is much truth to that. Thus man, after working hard in the fields and whatever profession he is engage into, will feel not much satisfaction and there is that continued longing for something else missing in his life. It is at this point that man desire for other things besides the familiar refrain of food, shelter, and clothing. There are those who say that the pursuit for the finer things in life takes the edge off living and so from the time man learns to navigate his way across paths that connect one tribe to another, trade began. And one of those being traded in ancient times is something related to man’s basic need – clothing or textile. In the Middle Ages, Iran’s textile industry reached its golden age under the guidance of the Safavid dynasty. This paper will take a closer look at the textile industry in Persia between the early 16th century and after the demise of the Safavid Dyansty in the early part of the 18th century. In this important period of its history the proponent of this study will examine different aspects of trade, the techniques used in making textile, and the significant designs that made Persia as a very important trading hub during these years. This paper will also examine the role that the textile industry played in the economic wealth of Iran. Background There is that certain quality and charm to affluence. It is therefore easy to understand why everybody wanted to be rich and no one would like to trade places with a poor man. Human nature seeks for comfort as the body craves for water in the searing heat of the desert sun. This is human nature and it best explains why merchants from the East and West in the Middle Ages continue to brave foul weather condition and other hazards associated to trade so long as the exchange of goods and money take place. But when a person reaches a level of domestic comfort, there is that tendency to become more sophisticated. The desire for luxury items kicks in and the well-heeled patrons of fine luxury products will drive their adventurous merchants even to the ends of the earth to acquire what is needed or more appropriately, to get things that are not basic needs but will surely fill a craving for the exotic and for the expensive. In the Middle Ages the Westerners look to the East for items related to a basic need, the need for clothing and these came in the form expensive textiles and for those who can afford it silk will do just fine. There is also the desire for fine Persian rugs or what is also known as carpets. Culture In the Middle Ages, there are two major perspectives in the quest to understand historic textiles. The first one can be seen through the eyes of those who inhabit the Eastern half of the globe. The second can be seen through the eyes of those living in the Western half of the planet. The difference in climate and topography allows for the exchange of goods and precious items, each group needs the other to acquire what they all wanted. For the Easterners living between the periods of the 16th century up to the 18th century, historic textiles of great historic significance are those that are coming from the regions around Asia. The Chinese, Indians, Turks and Persian make this all happen. The historic textiles are used for everyday purpose in this part of the world as clothes, accessories for man and animals and of course as a major household item to take away the dullness of day to day living. These products are also seen as major exports for those who live on the other side. For the Westerners living in the Middle Ages, the said historic textiles that include silk brocades and fine Persian carpets are a source of pride and joy. For them these textile products are exquisite works of art. If people from Persia used the rougher textile from wool in order to produce carpets – for the purpose of using the same as rugs – the Westerners will never agree to allow such expensive items to be trampled by dirty shoes. And so for the Europeans, carpets and fine textile are hung on wall and some used to cover expensive furniture. Safavid Dynasty It is understood that things does not come out from nothing. There is an explanation for the Golden Age of the Persian textile industry and it can be explained in one idea – the Safavid dynasty. An overview of this Persian dynasty will not only explain the origin of the much sought after luxury items but it will also help frame the context as to how the industry was developed from its primitive form into something that impacted the world in the Middle Ages. But it is not also right to give all the credit to the Safavids in terms of the creation of fine Persian carpets and the fine silk fabrics. It must be mentioned that a few centuries earlier it was the Sassanians who laid the foundation for the textile industry. This led Roger Savory to remark that, â€Å"Although the making of carpets is of ancient provenance in Iran, it was the Safavids who elevated a cottage-industry to an activity on a national scale and one which formed an important part of the economy† (1980). But the Sassanians limited success strengthens the argument that it takes more than talent and skill to survive in the dog-eat-dog world of ancient trade, it requires a great leader to set-up a system that will empower the people and encouraged those who have the entrepreneurial spirit to venture into the unknown or simply improve on what they have and in this case it is the ability to make beautiful fabrics. The flowering of Iran’s Golden Age through the able leadership of Shah Abbas I was made possible by the exploits of Abbas ancestor Ismail Safavi in 1501 who made the strategically located Tabriz as the capital of his newly formed state. Ismail brought peace and order while Abbas provided the leadership savvy that would usher in a period of political and military reform as well as of cultural florescence (Yalman, 2002). In the latter part of the 16th century Shah Abbas transferred the capital to Isfahan. During this time carpets and textiles became important export items. These products were not only used by the aristocracy and ordinary people, the same were used to fuel the economy. According to savory the first carpet factory was established in Isfahan and Yalman concurs by saying that these were produced in workshops set up under state patronage in Isfahan and other cities (2002). Historic Textiles As mentioned earlier the origin of the magnificent Persian carpets can be traced to a cottage industry that started a few centuries before the Safavids. Roger Savory provided more details when he wrote: The origins of the Persian carpet industry as we know it today is the tribal rug, women by the women and children of the semi-nomadic tribes, using the wool from their own flocks and natural dyes. The tribal rugs were usually in bright, gay colors, with bold fairly simple designs. They were and are highly individualistic, frequently irregular in shape, and characterized by color changes in the wool caused by the use of different dye batches (1980). Aside from the exquisitely designed but tougher looking carpets the Persians are in possession of fine fabrics and are mostly made of silk. Rudolph Matthee even asserted that not only was Iran a center for manufacturing silk fabrics but the region is also a producer of raw silk (1999). The following lists the three kinds of silken Safavid pieces of cloth: 1. Simple fine silk; 2. Brocade or gold silk; and 3. Silken velvet. Technology According to Carol Bier it is almost impossible to get a detailed and technical description of the intricacies of the Persian textile industry. First of all this is due to the problem of the materials itself, the fabrics are understandably fragile and did not survive the ravages of time. The few that remains are even far removed from the Safavid Dynasty. Historians are even forced to use the surviving paintings made by artists of the Middle Ages to get an a more in-depth understanding of Iran’s Golden Age in textile manufacturing and export industry. But it does not require a rocket scientist to understand that these artists can make alterations and can insert their own interpretations making their artwork a less reliable source of historical facts. As a result of these difficulties, Bier concluded that: The process of drawloom weaving and its technology is not thoroughly understood or documented for these periods. Treatises have yet to be located for fuller documentation of the use of dyes and for the processes of commercial weaving, as well as for the manufacture or embellishment of textiles by other means (e. g. embroidery, applique, crocheting, knitting, felt-making, accessorization) †¦. of innovation, improvements, or other modifications in the technology or its application that may have had an effect upon textile design and patterning (2008). In the same vein Milton Sonday concurs by saying that, â€Å"All too often what survives of a historic fabric is a fragment that is too small to give an impression of what the original looked like. Fragments must, therefore, if possible, be placed within the context of either continuous pattern from one or more fragments, provided one understands the principle upon which such patterns were laid out. Weaving Patterns Even with the scarcity of resources from which historians can draw conclusions, the following addresses the few significant facts that can be gleaned from artifacts and other documents that shed light on the said subject matter. As far as patterns and designs go, it is Milton Sonday that provided the most help. In the words of Sonday, â€Å"The highest achievements of Safavid silk designers and weavers are preserved in a limited number of figured velvet and â€Å"lampas† weaves. Aside from their sumptuous surfaces and monumental patterns, they are ideal for the insights they provide for understanding technology and aesthetics† (2008). This conclusion is part of the a general idea that it is notoriously difficult to differentiate what is uniquely Safavid historic textile as opposed to those coming from other historic textile centers from the Middle East. In fact there is disagreement as to which brocaded plain weave, brocaded satin weaves, float-patterned satin weaves, double cloths and the various metal background truly belongs to the Safavid and not to the Mughals of India. And so it is best to focus on the figured velvet and the â€Å"lampas† weaves to know more about Safavid historic textiles. Sonday pointed out that for the Persian fabrics of this era there can be two traditional patterns. The first one is a continuous pattern with elements of their composition arranged to be repeated endlessly and in all directions. The second major pattern is called the pictorial pattern with elements of its composition is arranged in such a way that it is contained within and related to a top, bottom, and sides (Sonday, 2008). The repeating patterns is achieved using a squared unit in weaving, where its sides are parallel with warps and its top and bottom parallel with wefts. Finally, Sonday made another important discovery, â€Å"A significant feature of Safavid continuous patterns in â€Å"lampas† and velvet weaves is the use of the human figure and narrative subject matter. Motifs are distinguished by clarity of drawing and can be identified as Safavid by the style of motifs such as birds, leaves, trees, flowers. No single motif is overly highlighted in their continuous patterns and there are practically no open spaces† (2008). There in a nutshell one gets the idea of a classic Safavid design. Conclusion It is a wonder to learn of ancient trading systems. It is also an adventure reliving the past when merchants had to be more than businessmen but has to have that adventurous spirit as well to get the best for their demanding clientele. For the gold and silver enriched Europeans there is a desire, in fact a craving for the exotic Middle East products and foremost in their list are fine Persian carpets and exquisite silk fabrics. Iran, the present day name for ancient Persia succeeded in becoming a center for historic textile trade in the Middle Ages because of the work of the Safavid dynasty particularly their greatest leader Shah Abbas. But there is more to Persian carpet and Persial silk brocades aside from the wise management of Abbas. It can be understood by tracing the development of their techniques and design from ancient times and of course the skill and determination of their women and skilled workers who continued to find ways of improving their craft. References Bier, C. 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