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From the Land of the Thunder Dragon: Textile Arts of Bhutan

Editors: Diana K. Myers and Susan S. Bean
Publisher: Serindia Publications
$50.00 Paper (248 p.)
ISBN: 9781932476422
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Reviewed by Julie Marston, Customer Service

From the Land of the Thunder Dragon: Textile Arts of Bhutan was published in conjunction with a special exhibit put on by the Peabody Essex Museum, who owns the nation's most wide ranging collection of Bhutanese textile art. The book is divided into three sections, and features many color photographs of the different textiles as well as a comprehensive history and social commentary on this art form.

The first section explores the cultural history of the fabrics, which is steeped in the political history of the country as well as social ritual. The offering of fabric is a part of many ceremonies in Bhutan, including marriage, job promotions and government programs. There are definite customs for the exact manner in which these gifts should be bestowed upon the recipient. Any breach of these traditions can lead to a distinct social faux pas.

The second section deals with the roles of the sexes in the manufacture and distribution of these textiles. Weaving and dying are skills mostly identified with women in Bhutan. It is the main vehicle of expression for women in this culture and prowess with a loom indicates to men the suitability of a woman for marriage and child bearing. In today's Bhutan, women are often sent to school and this and the advent of cheap machine manufactured cloth is leading to the decline of hand woven cloth in this region.

The third section is a little more technical and deals with regional differences in weaving, as well as the aspects of fibers and dying. There is a discussion of weaving patterns for the various regions which is well illustrated with photographs of the fabric. Fibers and dyes vary from locality to locality, based on plant life.

From the Land of the Thunder Dragon: Textile Arts of Bhutan contains many photographs of Bhutanese textiles that are extensively cataloged in the back of the book. There is also a glossary of terms which defines the Bhutanese words used in the text. Overall this book is an in depth study of Bhutanese textiles covering both technical and social aspects of the fabrics.