The history of curtains begins with the necessity to define space; to separate a room, or simply cover a doorway to a habitat
Since then, the curtain has had a long history of being used to control light, air, insulation and privacy. More recently the curtain has been used as a fashion statement and a symbol of status but, long ago, curtains were used in a variety of ways and one of those was the macabre ritual of burying the dead.
Yes, after the Egyptians of the 2nd Century decided to move on from the mess of the embalming process, they decided it was easier to bury their dead in the clothes they wore and the fabrics they used to furnish their homes.
The Earlier History of Curtains
These days, if someone is absent from their home and the curtains have been removed, one would naturally assume that the occupant has changed residency. However, 2000 years ago, it was a sure sign that their journey was perhaps in an earthlier direction.
This idea of using clothes and drapes for burial shrouds was a kind of recycling process only the earliest of environmentalists could be proud of – “Bring out your dead…your linen curtains and your Levi’s”.
Although there is proof of animal hides, flax and linen being used in a textile capacity, as with all organic materials, it’s particularly rare for earlier clothing and curtains to be found in pristine condition.
It’s only the dry, arid heat of the Egyptian desert where the necessary conditions are found to preserve such fragile adornments.
In 1897, the British Museum acquired a rare curtain from English Egyptologist, Sir E.A. Wallis Budge.
Retrieved from Akhmim in Upper Egypt, the early curtain has since been exhibited on display and is complete with its unique, 2nd Century ornate design and the visible staining of decomposition –https://worldhistorylab.britishmuseum.org/study-conservation-and-display-of-a-rare-pair-of-curtains-from-late-antique-egypt/ .
As well as draft excluder and burial shrouds, there is also evidence to suggest that the curtain or drape would’ve doubled up as a partition and primitive air conditioning unit. Tents in the blistering heat of the desert would accommodate a wetted cloth to temper the heat of the oppressive breezes as they raced across the arid plains and into the entrance of the abode.
But how did the humble curtain get from a makeshift hanging device to a fully-fledged fashion accessory for windows? Well, for a start, the window had to be invented in the first place.
The History Through a Window
Holes cut in walls to allow the light in is by no way a new concept. Before the invention of glass, windows were mainly small and thin to reduce exposure to the elements – hence the need to use wood and fabric as a barrier when the conditions outside became inclement.
The Romans – yeah, those guys who seem to be responsible for an awful lot – had already perfected the use of a portière – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porti%C3%A8re – and they started to experiment with windows around 100 A.D.
It was a crude but bold effort by the Romans but it wasn’t the transparent, perfected version that appears in triple glazing today. Windows were primarily made from animal horn and worked more like a shutter than a see-through window.
The majority of blown glass that the Romans produced was primarily used for drinking vessels and was inadequate for looking through; cloudy and full of air holes.
Archaeologists inform us that there is proof of true glass originating from Northern Syria, Mesopotamia & Egypt, thousands of years ago, but the important stuff is the quality glass produced from the cluster of islands in the Venetian Lagoon – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venetian_Lagoon .
Venetian glass-making was so prominent and vital to the economy that a guild was set up in 1271 to preserve its glass-making secrets. Venice had such an industrial advantage over other nations that a strict set of rules was put in place to thwart the spread of the recondite knowledge, forbidding glassmakers to leave Venice for unauthorised long periods, and imprisoning relatives if they dare not return.
The Architecture of the Curtain’s History
Swiss-French pioneer of modern architecture, Le Corbusier, once said, ‘The history of architecture is also the history of the window’. And with this in mind, we can therefore conclude that the history of the window is also the history of the curtain.
Upon the removal of animal hides, shutters and fabric from the holes in the wall, glass quickly became the perfect, crystal-clear idea for a filler – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass
Strong and transparent, glass does an adequate job of keeping out the elements whilst allowing the light in. The only thing left on the agenda was for human intellect and imagination to conjure up an idea of how to cover the hole up again – this time with something decorative and fancy.
It was possibly a natural progression to remove the medieval sheets from the four-poster beds – https://www.fourposterbed.co.uk/history-of-four-poster-beds/ – often frequented by Kings and Queens, and just put them up at the window. I mean, why not?
The fabric was already designed decoratively to keep the cold out, and it seems an obvious, organic transition to move fabric from the bed to the window……doesn’t it?
However, despite the obvious answer lingering in the corner of every leaded window in town, there is little proof of curtains being used until the Renaissance, when architecture fully embraced the use of glass.
Certainly, the large and dreary medieval castles of the Dark Ages would have housed curtains at windows and doors to keep the drafts out but, like many material possessions, it is only the wealthy who benefit from new concepts and fads until everything becomes more accessible and affordable.
An Industrialised History of Curtains
In the 18th Century weaving skills started to flood into Europe from India and the Far East, conveniently arriving at the time of the industrial revolution. The emerging skills and a growing textile industry were propelled by the development of new machinery, capable of assisting large-scale commercial projects.
Mass production and dyeing techniques – https://blog.patra.com/2016/09/07/to-dye-for-a-history-of-natural-and-synthetic-dyes/ moved clothing and furnishing into a new era.
Exciting new designs emerged bigger, more beautiful, and brighter than ever before, incorporating different patterns on materials such as lace.
The first 45 years of the 20th Century reads like an H.G. Wells novel for manufacturing: ‘No one would’ve believed in the first years of the 20th Century that…’
As everyone is made aware from a very early age, the ravages of early 20th Century war led to death and rationing, and the only manufacturing taking place was for the cause of the war machine.
Likewise, there were few orders for aesthetics around the home and the only curtains being made were from the remnants of duster and parachute cloth – and the main purpose was to help deflect shrapnel, following a blast during a bombing raid.
An Automatic History of Curtains
Post-war optimism witnessed the invention of the automatic washing machine allowing for the manufacture of lighter, washable fabrics. Prior to that, taking down curtains and washing by hand was a long, drawn-out affair that involved several members of the family who would labour away whilst listening to Nazi propaganda on the wireless.
Through the 50s and beyond, styles and designs have been as transient as fashion, with blinds and shutters developing their own unique direction.
At the end of incredible advancements, endless amounts of shapes and styles have since been produced, and Hung, Drawn and Quilted is proud to be part of this long history of curtains in a world where anything is possible and only the imagination stands in the way of progress.
We Make Our Own History of Curtains
We have endless ideas and an abundance of unique fabrics with a Pantone-esk colour system to help shape the future of curtains, blinds and pelmets.
Don’t be strung out by drab, poorly manufactured curtains, make the proper execution; make the Hung, Drawn and Quilted choice. We make our own history of curtains right here –https://hungdrawnandquilted.co.uk/contact/