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Full-Text Articles in History
Libraries In Public Before The Age Of Public Libraries: Interpreting The Furnishings And Design Of Athenaeums And Other ‘Social Libraries,’ 1800-1860, Adam Arenson
Adam Arenson
Before public libraries became common in the United States, both elite and striving men sought out social libraries to read business newspapers, attend lectures, appreciate art and good company, and generally learn or relish in respectability. For single male clerks living in rented rooms, the library served as a crucial "third place," away from home and work, where sociability and education could flourish. This chapter describes how elements of the private library, the parlor, and the bookstore informed the furnishing and design of the social library. It reveals how the spaces were intended to be utilized--and what legacies remained for …
Spanish And Mamluk Carpets: Comparisons Of Decoration And Structure, Carol Bier
Spanish And Mamluk Carpets: Comparisons Of Decoration And Structure, Carol Bier
Carol Bier
Two recent exhibitions, Carpets of Andalusia and Mamluk Rugs from Egypt, at The Textile Museum afforded a rare opportunity to compare two radically different rug-weaving traditions from the perspectives of design and weave structure. While not often evident to the casual viewer, there is a significant relationship between design, pattern, and weave structure in all Oriental carpets. The opportunity to explore such differences warrants careful examination and critical viewing.The Mamluk rugs all probably date from the last quarter of the 15th century. They comprise a cohesive group defined by color, a geometric style, and similarity of weave characteristics.