Epitaphios

Eastern European (Russia?)

18th century

Medium/Technique Silk and metal strip; damask with silk and gold-colored metal thread, seed pearls, and painted embroidery, silk and silvered metallic woven trim, silk and metallic brocade, gold-colored metallic woven looped fringe with spangel and paper wrapped gilt metal strip ornaments, gilt metal tassel, and silk lining

Dimensions 79 x 85.5 x 1.3 cm (31 1/8 x 33 11/16 x 1/2 in.)

Credit Line The Elizabeth Day McCormick Collection

Accession Number46.763

NOT ON VIEW

CollectionsEurope, Fashion and Textiles

ClassificationsTextiles

DescriptionEpitaphios, the Lamentation. Central panel: foreground, Jesus upon a sheet supported by a man at either end (Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus?) is placed upon a bier. The three Marys look on from the center flanked by a pair of angels and a man (John?). Background, the cross; God admidst radiant clouds, a shaft of gold bearing a bird travels from his mouth downward. All figures have pearl lined halloes; the cross outlined and the bird encircled with pearls. Metallic and silk yarns; faces and hands painted over silk yarns, on a silk ground shot with vertical metal strips. Border: Russian brocade, semi-naturalistic floral sprays and blossoms repeating in floss silk and metallic yarns on a metallic and silk yarn ground. Metallic yarn fringe with floral pendants made of metal and strips with spangles. Paint cracked, yarns worn.