At the heart of Morocco's vibrant handicraft culture is an essentially feminine art form of embroidery on silk, cotton, and linen-one of the most vibrant arts in North Africa for many centuries and in vogue through the 1930s. These exquisite embroidered objects bear witness to the sophisticated taste of a bygone society.

Moroccan Textile Embroidery explains how Moroccan women passed this cultural art on to the next generation and how embroidered patterns were used to decorate interior spaces-cushions, tablecloths, curtains and mats-as well as certain traditional accessories in the female wardrobe-shawls, belts, handkerchiefs, and headscarves.

Because of the rarity of older patterns and difficulty conserving textiles, Moroccan embroidery has remained largely undiscovered. Here for pattern artists and textile enthusiasts, is a rare photographic documentation of this beautiful ancestral art, including over one hundred historical pieces.

Isabelle Denamur is a collector and author with an exceptional collection of more than 200 pieces of old Moroccan embroidery.

A matter of prestige and pride, Moroccan embroidery has made everyday garments and furnishings vibrant and opulent for centuries, reaching its height 200 years ago. First-time author and ethnologist Denamur hopes to share her passion for this craft with a wide, appreciative audience. Introductory chapters outline the history of Moroccan embroidery, the trade and traditions of the craft. The bulk of the book catalogs and details the embroidery of seven primary geographic regions in Morocco. The 250 color photographs are stunning in their richness and detail-one could almost imagine stroking the page and feeling each stitch and knot. The black-and-white period photos of embroidery-garbed Moroccan women and salons are inspired. However, text and organization are the disappointments of this book. There is no index, and the text reads like a school research paper, with stilted language and numerous quotations, as if the author is uncomfortable drawing her own conclusions. Though the illustrations are certainly a draw, the text may prove tiresome to all but the most determined. For specialized collections only; an additional purchase elsewhere.-Karen Ellis, Nicholson Memorial Lib. Syst., Garland, TX Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.