Artwork Page for Celestial banquet hanging, from the tomb of Bishop Gurb

Details / Information for Celestial banquet hanging, from the tomb of Bishop Gurb

Celestial banquet hanging, from the tomb of Bishop Gurb

1200–1284

Spain, probably Almeria

Medium
Silk and gold thread: plain weave with inwoven tapestry weave
Measurements
Overall: 21.2 x 58.4 cm (8 3/8 x 23 in.); Mounted: 30.2 x 67 cm (11 7/8 x 26 3/8 in.)
Credit Line
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1966.368
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
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Description

This rare silk fragment is from a luxurious hanging of brightly colored silk and shiny gold thread that displayed rows of figural roundels on a plain ground. The two turbaned men holding flasks flanking a palmette tree and the turbaned rider with a flying scarf are derived from the ancient Near Eastern imperial themes of the banquet and the hunt. The Arabic inscription framing each roundel proclaims, There is no god but Allah.

This piece along with several others were reportedly found in the tomb of Bishop Gurb (died 1284) in the Cathedral of Barcelona in about 1890.
A horizontally long red silk textile fragment features two circular medallions outlined in bands of script. On the left, a full medallion encloses two seated figures facing each other. To the right, a partial medallion depicts a rider on horseback. Tarnished gold-thread motifs pattern the red ground. Large, irregular patches of discoloration and frayed edges are visible across the textile's surface, marking the original design's deterioration.

Celestial banquet hanging, from the tomb of Bishop Gurb

1200–1284

Spain, probably Almeria

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