A Delve Into History

At The Tapestry Guild we are always on the hunt for inspiration and beauty and were intrigued to see these original tapestry designs which recently came up for sale at the auction house Dreweats.

Designed by John Piper for Reading Borough Council in 1974 for their new civic offices, the tapestries entitled Urban Reading and Rural Reading, aimed to celebrate the town's contrasting urban and natural landscapes. We love the vibrancy of colour and the natural form Piper incorporates into his designs, as well as the references to local architecture and landscape.

There is a certain playfulness to the compositions such as the flock of seagulls and exaggerated heights of buildings, as well as a nod to cubism with abstract shapes and blocks of colour. We love the confidence of Piper's designs - they are certainly inspiring!