The Cleveland Museum of Art
Collection Online as of December 20, 2025
Curtain
1600s–1700s
(s) and embroiderer(s)
Overall: 281 x 157.7 cm (110 5/8 x 62 1/16 in.)
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Wade 1916.1361
Location: Not on view
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.- 1916Jeptha Homer Wade II [1857-1926] and Ellen Garretson Wade [1859-1917], Cleveland, OH, gifted to the Cleveland Museum of Art1916-Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
- Gebremedhen, Helina. “Arts of the Maghreb: North African Textiles and Jewelry – Curatorial Reflections.” Journal 18, Issue #19 (Spring 2025). www.journal18.orgSoenderholm, Ivan. "Arts of the Maghreb: North African Textiles." Jozan: Oriental rug news. January 30, 2025. www.jozan.net
- Stories from Storage. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (February 7-May 16, 2021).Embroideries from the J.H. Wade Collection, November 1–December 5, 1928. Cleveland Museum of Art
- {{cite web|title=Curtain|url=false|author=|year=1600s–1700s|access-date=20 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}
Source URL:
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1916.1361