The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 4, 2023

Lower Section of a Tunic

400s CE

Egypt, Byzantine period, 5th century

Undyed linen and dyed wool: tapestry weave with supplementary weft wrapping

Overall: 54.9 x 106.7 cm (21 5/8 x 42 in.); Mounted: 67.3 x 118.1 cm (26 1/2 x 46 1/2 in.)

Gift of William E. Ward in memory of his wife, Evelyn Svec Ward 1993.177

Location

106A Migration Period & Coptic

Fun Fact

Long wide tunics were the most common garments of this time period.

Description

This is the bottom section of a well-woven wool unisex tunic. Various stylized roundels with animals and baskets decorate the hem that extends into round finials with birds. The interior two square panels complete the design. Extra wefts, or horizontal threads, enrich the animals and the deep blue ground, probably a failed purple dye. While the robe itself is created from linen, the fringes at the bottom are made from wool.

Provenance
-1975
(Ascher, Paris, France, sold to Mr. William E. Ward)
1975-1993
Mr. William E. Ward (1922–2004). Solon, OH, gifted to the Cleveland Museum of Art, in memory of his wife, Evelyn Svec Ward
1993-
The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
Citations
“1993 Annual Report.” The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 81, no. 6 (1994). p. 167 www.jstor.org
Exhibition history

Coptic Textile Rotation Gallery 106. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (April 4, 2011-May 21, 2012).

Coptic Textile Rotation Gallery 106. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (May 23, 2017-May 14, 2018).

Source URL: https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1993.177