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Fragment with wrestling lions and harpies
Spanish (probably Almería)
Almoravid
Early 12th century
Object Place: possibly Almería, Spain
Medium/Technique
Silk lampas with supplementary discontinuous metal-wrapped patterning wefts
Dimensions
50 x 43 cm (19 11/16 x 16 15/16 in.)
Credit Line
Ellen Page Hall Fund
Accession Number33.371
NOT ON VIEW
CollectionsEurope, Fashion and Textiles
ClassificationsTextiles
DescriptionFragment of shroud believed to have been part of the shroud of a bishop of Burgo de Osma. Design of pairs of lions attacking human-headed birds within circles connected by smaller circles containing inscriptions, woven with red, green, and light brown silk (weft) and gold thread (brocaded). The inscription has been translated by R. Guest as follows "This was made in the town of Baghdad, may God guard it."
ProvenanceSaid to come from the tomb of bishop San Pedro de Osma (d. 1109) in the Cathedral of Burgo de Osma, Spain [see note 1]. 1933, Herman A. Elsberg (dealer; b. 1869 - d. 1938), New York; 1933, sold by Elsberg to the MFA for $14,500 [see note 2]. (Accession date: March 7, 1933)
NOTES:
[1] See Adele Coulin Weibel, Two Thousand Years of Textiles (New York: Pantheon, 1952), p. 96, cat. no. 66.
[2] Purchased with MFA 33.372 for $14,500.
NOTES:
[1] See Adele Coulin Weibel, Two Thousand Years of Textiles (New York: Pantheon, 1952), p. 96, cat. no. 66.
[2] Purchased with MFA 33.372 for $14,500.