Handicrafts are often ridiculed in today's world, where the focus is on maximum consumption. Why should people take the time to knit their own sweaters or stockings? - After all, everything can be bought easily and simply; and with the booming online trade, even at any time of day or night. Craftsmanship is giving way to cheaply produced mass-produced goods. However, this was not always the case. For thousands of years, handicrafts were highly valued and, especially among a very specific people, the only means of artistic expression: people in Islamic regions did not produce panel paintings or carved altarpieces, as was common practice in medieval Europe. For them, art was a craft and a skill. This can be seen in the outstanding variety of painted ceramics, carved rock crystal vessels and woven textiles. Immerse yourself with me in a world of fascinating ornaments that can be found on everyday objects familiar to us all: knitted stockings. During the lecture, you will get to know different decorations and their origins and thus be introduced to the practice of art history. Cultural history will also be included and provide an insight into the production of stockings.
