Byzantine Textile Icon of the Virgin and Child

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Illustration

Prolet Decheva
by Cleveland Museum of Art
published on 01 August 2024
Byzantine Textile Icon of the Virgin and Child Download Full Size Image

Late antique icon of the enthroned Virgin holding the child Christ and surrounded by the archangels Michael and Gabriel, labeled with Greek inscriptions. Woven tapestry made of colorful wool, from Egypt, dated to the 6th century.

In the register above, Christ is enthroned within a mandorla carried by two angels. The scenes are surrounded by a leafy border featuring the portraits of the apostles within roundes. The names of the apostles are inscribed in Greek. The tapestry would have hung on a wall, probably in a church, and is one of the few surving Early Christian textiles of monumental size (c. 178 x 110 cm / c. 70 x 43 in).

Cleveland Museum of Art.

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References

  • Weitzmann, Kurt (ed.). Age of Spirituality: Late Antique and Early Christian Art Third to Seventh Century. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1977, 532-33.

Cite This Work

APA Style

Art, C. M. o. (2024, August 01). Byzantine Textile Icon of the Virgin and Child. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/image/19256/byzantine-textile-icon-of-the-virgin-and-child/

Chicago Style

Art, Cleveland Museum of. "Byzantine Textile Icon of the Virgin and Child." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified August 01, 2024. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/19256/byzantine-textile-icon-of-the-virgin-and-child/.

MLA Style

Art, Cleveland Museum of. "Byzantine Textile Icon of the Virgin and Child." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 01 Aug 2024. Web. 11 Dec 2024.

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