Animal magic

Brought to life in myriad ways, whether printed, woven or embroidered, animals and birds have always been popular motifs in textile design, says Celia Rufey

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What a complex relationship we have with the animal world, revolving as it does around love, respect and fear. Hardly surprising, then, to find textile patterns reflecting the different ways in which peoples have related to their native breeds. Fabrics tell us how animals and birds have been understood - in realistic and symbolic ways - and portrayed in almost every situation familiar to us today.