---
title: Byzantine Textile Icon of the Virgin and Child
author: Cleveland Museum of Art
source: https://www.worldhistory.org/image/19256/byzantine-textile-icon-of-the-virgin-and-child/
format: machine-readable-alternate
updated: 2024-08-01
---

# Byzantine Textile Icon of the Virgin and Child

_Authored by Cleveland Museum of Art_

## Image File

[![Byzantine Textile Icon of the Virgin and Child](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/19256.jpg)](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/19256.jpg)

## Image Caption

Late antique icon of the enthroned Virgin holding the child Christ and surrounded by the archangels Michael and Gabriel, labeled with [Greek](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/greek/) inscriptions. Woven tapestry made of colorful wool, from [Egypt](https://www.worldhistory.org/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](https://www.worldhistory.org/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.

## Bibliography

- 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
Art, C. M. o. (2024, August 01). Byzantine Textile Icon of the Virgin and Child. *World History Encyclopedia*. <https://www.worldhistory.org/image/19256/byzantine-textile-icon-of-the-virgin-and-child/>
### Chicago
Art, Cleveland Museum of. "Byzantine Textile Icon of the Virgin and Child." *World History Encyclopedia*, August 01, 2024. <https://www.worldhistory.org/image/19256/byzantine-textile-icon-of-the-virgin-and-child/>.
### MLA
Art, Cleveland Museum of. "Byzantine Textile Icon of the Virgin and Child." *World History Encyclopedia*, 01 Aug 2024, <https://www.worldhistory.org/image/19256/byzantine-textile-icon-of-the-virgin-and-child/>.

## License & Copyright

[Original image](https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1967.144) by **Cleveland Museum of Art**. Submitted by [Prolet Decheva](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/pdecheva/ "User Page: Prolet Decheva"), published on 01 August 2024. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Public Domain](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_domain). This item is in the public domain, and can be used, copied, and modified without any restrictions. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.