The definitive volume celebrating the richness, subtlety and endless creativity of the textile arts.

* Over one thousand colour images reveal the beauty and huge variety of textiles in stunning detail.

* By juxtaposing historical and contemporary pieces from around the world - from ancient embroidered panels to cutting-edge, digitally printed fabrics - the author highlights an unbroken story of skill and invention stretching back thousands of years.

* Detailed captions and hundreds of close-ups illustrate the allure of textile materials, as well as their possible manipulations and surface treatments.

* Six chapters cover such themes as imagery, structure and decoration, while an extensive list of resources provides valuable information about artists, museums and associations around the world.