Icon of the Virgin and Child

500s

Maker Unknown

Textiles

Icon of the Virgin and Child, 500s. Egypt, Byzantine period, 6th century. Slit-and dovetailed-tapestry weave; wool ; overall: 178.7 x 110.5 cm (70 3/8 x 43 1/2 in.); mounted: 197.4 x 128.2 x 6.4 cm (77 11/16 x 50 1/2 x 2 1/2 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. Fund 1967.144 Created in Egypt's hot and dry desert climate, this tapestry features a border of lush greenery and fruits, while flowers peek out from around the throne of the Virgin. Imagine encountering this artistic oasis in a Coptic church during the dry heat of the day.

Original Source

Maker/Artist: Maker Unknown
Classification: Textile
Formatted Medium: slit-and dovetailed-tapestry weave; wool
Medium: slit-and, dovetailed-tapestry, weave, wool
Dimensions: Overall: 178.7 x 110.5 cm (70 3/8 x 43 1/2 in.); Mounted: 197.4 x 128.2 x 6.4 cm (77 11/16 x 50 1/2 x 2 1/2 in.)
Inscribed: Inscription: on the lintel of the architectural setting, the Greek inscription translates as: The Holy Michael, The Holy Mary, The Holy Gabriel. The wide foliate border is decorated with fruits and flowers and, in the lower part, with medallions containing the busts of apostles whose names are inscribed nearby in Greek and are translated as: Andrew, Matthew, Paul the Apostle, Luke, James, Phillip, Mark, Thomas, John, Matthias, Peter, and Bartholomew.