Although there is a wide variety of themes and subjects that are featured in these decorative works of art we have come to know as tapestries, nothing can be more popular and more versatile than those that focus on a European theme. Unlike the customary and ordinary method of weaving cloth, the process of weaving for this specific type of craft employs the use of a contemporary jacquard loom and weft-faced weaving. This method makes the thread invisible to the people looking at it by hiding them within the work of art itself.
European tapestries have always enjoyed a very rich and vibrant history, heritage and tradition in the European continent. Records show that the earliest of these artworks were found preserved in the desert of Tarim Basin in Greece could have probably been created during the 2nd or 3rd century BC. The ancient civilizations of Egyptians and Incas used these works of art to wrap the bodies of their dead. Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that this art form truly thrived and reached its peak during the time of the Medieval Ages. During this time, the center of creation and production of these works of art spread throughout the continent, specifically in countries like Belgium, France, Germany, and the Netherlands. The Church commissioned the production of these crafts to depict Bible stories for the benefit of its members who could not read or write. The aristocracy during this era made use of them as insulation for their caste walls and mansions. Because of these series of events, this form of art became famous all over the world.
European tapestries in themselves feature a wide variety of different subject matters and topics that focus on the many different countries, cultures, customs, traditions, and way of life within this very rich and vibrant continent. These include European vacation destinations, European landmarks, cityscapes and landscapes, copies or replicas of famous art pieces of great European masters and artists, and characters and personalities inspired by the great literary works of the more popular European authors and writers. Apart from these examples, Belgium tapestries, which include the Bayeux type and Beatrix type, are also considered as one of the more popular kinds. These works of art commonly illustrate memorable events in history, historical figures and characters, and copies or replicas of masterpieces of artists like Raphael, Francois Boucher, and William Morris, to name a few.