Curator

  • Art Institute Chicago
  • Harvard art museum
  • My Exhibition
A long, rectangular textile fragment with a red ground and animal figures woven in yellow with black, green, blue, and pink details.

Band with Animal Motifs

Byzantine

A large tapestry-woven band filled with abstract and colorful animal motifs and possibly also several human figures. The composition of the band is divided into diamond and triangle shaped spaces by a trellis pattern; these spaces are filled with animals. Where the diamonds and triangles join are small yellow medallions containing white flowers. At the top and bottom of the diamonds are half medallions with half flowers. The trellis is defined by rows of trumpet-shaped flowers. The triangular spaces between each diamond contain the same figures in mirror image symmetry. Along the sides of the inhabited area are borders consisting of connected lozenges; these lozenges are divided into colored segments and resemble jewels. Pairs of lozenges share the same design. Yellow, green, white, pink, red, and blue are the main colors used in the textile. Undyed warps.

Linen and wool, tapestry woven

Byzantine period

Textile Arts