Artwork Page for Curtain

Details / Information for Curtain

Curtain

1600s–1700s

Africa, North Africa, Tunisia, Djerba, Tunisian weaver(s) and embroiderer

(s)
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Medium
Silk, linen, metal, and dye
Measurements
Overall: 281 x 157.7 cm (110 5/8 x 62 1/16 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Wade 1916.1361
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
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Did You Know?

When first acquired over a century ago, these curtains had fringe at their lower ends.

Description

This pair of curtains displays colorful silk bands with woven geometric motifs, and cream bands with gold-embroidered plants, birds, six-pointed stars, and the khamsah (خمسة), an open five-fingered hand. Birds and the tree of life were popular good luck or fertility symbols linked to marriage. The cosmopolitan motifs would have resonated with Jews, Muslims, and Christians alike, reflecting its creation on multiethnic and multireligious Djerba, an island off the Tunisian coast. There, both goldsmithing and gold thread embroidery were done by Jewish artisans (male and female, respectively). The fine materials suggest they once hung in a wealthy home or for special occasions; interior wall hangings were typically made from rough wool.
Two vertically long panels of silk and linen feature red, dark blue, mustard yellow, and black vertical stripes. Narrow white linen strips separate the colored bands, which each feature a central patterned stripe on a solid background. Across the lower third, a horizontal band of glinting gold embroidery interrupts the verticality with dense floral motifs. The fabric exhibits a soft sheen and vertical creases, with the panels mirroring one another's rhythmic, saturated arrangement.

Curtain

1600s–1700s

Africa, North Africa, Tunisia, Djerba, Tunisian weaver(s) and embroiderer(s)

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