CLICK IMAGE for more info and price
by: Nancy J. Blomberg
Topics include:
CLICK HERE for more information and price
Editorial Reviews From Library Journal In his 40-year quest to amass the best and the brightest examples of Navajo textiles woven between 1800 and 1920, Hearst obtained more than 200 weavings, which he ultimately donated to the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. Assistant curator Blomberg documents these weavings in a volume that can be appreciated by both casual reader and specialist. The former will browse through full-page color illustrations of each weaving and fascinating accounts of the marketing of Navajo textiles from weaver to reservation trader to merchant to consumer. The latter will find a detailed analysis of each piece, including physical description, dating, and a transcription of written documentation from vendor tags and ledger books. Recommended. Janice Zlendich, California State Univ. Lib., Fullerton Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.
Add this one to your collection -- If you love both Navajo textiles and well-designed art books, this is the best of both. The text provides an educational overview of the history of Navajo weaving from 1650 to 1920, explaining dying techniques, tribal uses for each style and the eventual marketing of them. Blomberg, a curator at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (or at least she was when the book was first published in 1988), also describes how their weaving was influenced in later years by relocation and the switch from native use to trading company sales. Regardless of how you feel about William Randolph Hearst's collecting style, his quest for traditional pieces at the turn of the century has become part of the history of the weavings and makes for an interesting story. The textiles are the main feature, of course, and they are beautiful. The 200 prints, illustrating pieces from about 1850 to 1890, are of excellent quality and displayed large enough to take a good look at. With only one print per page, each stands out to full effect. Reading this book is a lot like walking through a gallery exhibition; you can start at the beginning knowing next to nothing about the craft, examine the changing patterns and styles (ponchos, child's blankets, chief's blankets, saddle blankets, transitional styles), and come out with a new appreciation of Navajo design. In the absence of such an exhibit, I'm really happy to have this book.
Reviews: