Transcriber’s Note: The Table of Contents was added by the Transcriber. SOUTH KENSINGTON MUSEUM ART HANDBOOKS. EDITED BY WILLIAM MASKELL. NO. 1.--TEXTILE FABRICS. _These Handbooks are reprints of the prefaces or introductions to the large catalogues of the chief divisions of works of art in the Museum at South Kensington; arranged and so far abridged as to bring each into a portable shape. The Lords of the Committee of Council on Education having determined on the publication of them, the editor trusts that they will meet the purpose intended; namely, to be useful, not alone for the collections at South Kensington but for other collections, by enabling the public at a trifling cost to understand something of the history and character of the subjects treated of._ _The authorities referred to by the authors will be found named in the large catalogues; where are also given detailed descriptions of the very numerous examples in the South Kensington Museum._ TEXTILE FABRICS. BY THE VERY REV. DANIEL ROCK, D.D. WITH NUMEROUS WOODCUTS. [Illustration] _Published for the Committee of Council on Education_ BY CHAPMAN AND HALL, 193, PICCADILLY. 1876. PRINTED BY TAYLOR AND CO., LITTLE QUEEN STREET, LINCOLN’S INN FIELDS. CONTENTS Page CHAPTER I 1 CHAPTER II 7 CHAPTER III 14 CHAPTER IV 24 CHAPTER V 35 CHAPTER VI 49 CHAPTER VII 70 CHAPTER VIII 78 CHAPTER IX 88 CHAPTER X 95 CHAPTER XI 104 INDEX 113 LIST OF WOODCUTS. Page Indian woman reeling silk 13 Ladies in fifteenth century spinning and weaving 34 Mortuary cloth 44 Silk damask with imitated Arabic letters 46 Ladies in fourteenth century carding and spinning 48 Byzantine Dalmatic 51 Sicilian silk damask 57 Florentine silk damask 62 Part of the Syon Cope 84 Embroidered saddle-cloth 87 Ancient banner of the city of Strasburg 91 Embroidered hangings of a bed 94