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Museum Reads – “The Fabric of Civilization: How Textiles Made the World”
April 27, 2023 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
A book group especially for art enthusiasts.
Welcome to Museum Reads, the Newport Art Museum’s Art-Themed book group for adults. We meet monthly, at the Museum and virtually, for discussion, and frequently are joined by the author.
This Month we’ll be discussing: “The Fabric of Civilization: How Textiles Made the World” by Virginia Postrel
We are delighted to share that author Virginia Postrel will be joining us via Zoom for our discussion!
In The Fabric of Civilization, Virginia Postrel synthesizes groundbreaking research from archaeology, economics, and science to reveal a surprising history. From Minoans exporting wool colored with precious purple dye to Egypt, to Romans arrayed in costly Chinese silk, the cloth trade paved the crossroads of the ancient world. Textiles funded the Renaissance and the Mughal Empire; they gave us banks and bookkeeping, Michelangelo’s David and the Taj Mahal. The cloth business spread the alphabet and arithmetic, propelled chemical research, and taught people to think in binary code.
Assiduously researched and deftly narrated, The Fabric of Civilization tells the story of the world’s most influential commodity.
Museum Reads is FREE for Museum Members and only $5 for non-members. It is held in-person at the museum, and also virtually. Be sure to register (via the link below) to receive email updates and Zoom links. For last minute registrations, please call the front desk for the Zoom link at 401-848-8200.
Don’t miss!
Current Exhibition Social Fabric: Textiles and Contemporary Issues, on view in the Cushing Galleries through June 11, 2023