Brussels Glory
It was the Golden Age, a time of celebrated artists and gifted craftsmen. The Belgian furniture trade flourished. A mere fraction of what it was in its heyday, the trade continues to be admired for its stunning craftsmanship, though the traditional style of its furniture is largely incompatible with contemporary tastes. The same is true of Brussels lace. Accomplished hands continue to produce it, but it is considered old-fashioned. There have been few, if any, contemporary applications of either craft. Besides, how can craftspeople of this caliber compete in a market flooded with prefab furniture and handiwork produced for next to nothing in countries like China and India?
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It was the Golden Age, a time of celebrated artists and gifted craftsmen. The Belgian furniture trade flourished. A mere fraction of what it was in its heyday, the trade continues to be admired for its stunning craftsmanship, though the traditional style of its furniture is largely incompatible with contemporary tastes. The same is true of Brussels lace. Accomplished hands continue to produce it, but it is considered old-fashioned. There have been few, if any, contemporary applications of either craft. Besides, how can craftspeople of this caliber compete in a market flooded with prefab furniture and handiwork produced for next to nothing in countries like China and India?
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