Lovely antique Indian textile that once belonged to a prominent collector and was later in the collection of the Newark Museum of Art. Approx 10 inches long

Antique textiles are nothing short of magical: they are time warps—tangible witnesses to vanished civilizations, preserved through the most extraordinary skill of the hands of their time. They are great works of art in their own right, deserving to be displayed alongside both classical and contemporary art, and their importance is underscored by the fact that textiles appear so prominently in classical paintings, often commanding more visual presence—and presenting greater technical challenges to the artist—than the human figures themselves. Beyond their beauty and cultural significance, exceptional antique textiles can also be remarkably valuable investments: unlike most great works of art, they are portable, can be transported relatively easily when properly cared for, and, at the highest levels, some rare examples can be worth far more than their equivalent weight in gold. To own one is to possess not merely an object, but a fragment of human history, artistry, and imagination that has survived across centuries.

-- T E X T I L U M

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