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Curtain Fragment with Galloping Horse, 500s. Creator: Unknown
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Curtain Fragment with Galloping Horse, 500s. Creator: Unknown
Curtain Fragment with Galloping Horse, 500s. This large roundel framed with hearts displays a saddled horse galloping through a landscape, indicated by the stylized tree. The secondary motif of birds, partially visible in the corners, was repeated with the large roundels to form a colourful curtain. The many shades of colour were skillfully achieved from only a few dyes, often the most expensive aspect of production: red and pink made from an insect dye, perhaps Armenian cochineal; blue from indigo; salmon (horses nose and belly), yellow, and brown from fustic (different colours caused by the mordant, probably alum); green from fustic and indigo; and purple (horses mane) from madder and indigo
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Media ID 19619329
© Heritage Art/Heritage Images
6th Century Byzantine Period Plain Weave Tabby Wool Antinoe
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This print showcases a remarkable piece of art known as the "Curtain Fragment with Galloping Horse" from the 6th century Byzantine period. Created by an unknown artist, this large roundel framed with hearts presents a stunning scene of a saddled horse galloping through a stylized landscape, symbolized by the tree. The corners reveal glimpses of birds, which were cleverly repeated to form an exquisite and vibrant curtain. What makes this artwork even more impressive is the skillful use of color achieved from only a few dyes. The shades range from red and pink, derived from an insect dye called Armenian cochineal, to blue obtained from indigo. Salmon hues for the horse's nose and belly, yellow tones, and brown shades were all produced using fustic dye (with different colors resulting from the mordant - likely alum). Green was created through a combination of fustic and indigo while purple for the horse's mane resulted from madder and indigo. The intricate weaving technique employed in this textile masterpiece combines plain weave tabby with inwoven slit tapestry weave. It is evident that great care and expertise went into its creation. Preserved at The Cleveland Museum of Art, this ancient artifact provides us with a glimpse into the rich artistic heritage of Egypt during antiquity. Its beauty continues to captivate viewers today as it stands as a testament to human creativity across centuries.
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