Decorative Bands from a Curtain (Primary Title)
Textile Fragment: Putti Gathering Grapes (Former Title)
Unknown (Artist)
These two bands are almost certainly from a single curtain. Each band has a vegetal scroll populated by hunting scenes (Right/Left) and harvest scenes (Right/Left). The hunters are armed with shields, bows, spears, and missiles and face wild beasts such as boars, bears, and lions. Some of the beasts are already pierced by spears. The harvest band shows vines sprouting from baskets that are flanked by pairs of harvesters holding pruning knives and fruits. The designs are wool silhouettes that were originally colored dark purple. Details, such as the eyes and lines indicating muscles, are rendered using linen.
Late Roman/ Early Byzantine
Adolph D. and Wilkins C. Williams Fund
Image released via Creative Commons CC-BY-NC
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