The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of March 19, 2025

Nereid (Sea-Nymph) from a Hanging

late 300s–400s CE
(Egypt)
dyed wool, undyed linen
Overall: 66.7 x 65.4 cm (26 1/4 x 25 3/4 in.); Mounted: 76.8 x 75.6 x 2.9 cm (30 1/4 x 29 3/4 x 1 1/8 in.)
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1953.18
Location: not on view

Did You Know?

Look closely at the eyeliner beneath the eye: it is formed by mixing two colors of thread, pink and blue.

Description

The brilliant colors and complex design of this panel, likely one of several forming a tapestry, testify to its makers’ skill. Vines and birds frame a nereid, a mermaidlike mythological creature, against a dark blue ground. The weaver has aligned different-colored threads to create shading and special details. Blue threads representing water are integrated into the weaving of the glass bowl. Alternating pink and blue threads combine to create a smoky effect around the nereid’s eyes. Small spots across the surface are stable organic spores and fortunately do not affect the condition of this millennia-old textile.
  • ?–1953
    (Mme Paul [Marguerite] Mallon [d. 1977], New York, NY, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art)
    1953–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • "Art and Archaeology at the Cleveland Museum of Art." Archaeology 6, no. 4 (1953): 195-202. p. 199, cover illus 41663172.
    Shepherd, Dorothy G. "A Late Hellenistic Tapestry from Egypt." The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 41, no. 1 (January 1954), pp. 4–6. Mentioned: pp. 4–6 www.jstor.org
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. The Cleveland Museum of Art Handbook. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1958. Mentioned and Reproduced: cat. no. 65 archive.org
    Cleveland Museum of Art, and William Mathewson Milliken. The Cleveland Museum of Art. New York: H.N. Abrams, 1958. p. 7
    Kunsthaus Zürich. Christentum am Nil; Koptische Kunst; Nachtrag. 1963. pl. VI, no. 242
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1966. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1966. Reproduced: p. 30 archive.org
    Bourguet, R. du. 1966. "La technique des étoffes coptes en rapport avec leur dotation". Bulletin De Liaison Du Centre International D'études Des Textiles Anciens. 17-30. p. 17
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1969. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1969. Reproduced: p. 30 archive.org
    Volbach, Wolfgang Fritz, and Jüri Gabriel. Early Decorative Textiles. London: Hamlyn, 1974. pl. 9
    Kokuritsu Seiyō Bijutsukan. Masterpieces of World Art from American Museums from Ancient Egyptian to Contemporary Art. Tokyo: National Museum of Western Art, 1976. Cat. No. 6
    The Cleveland Museum of Art. Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1978. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1978. Reproduced: p. 36 archive.org
    Rutschowscaya, Marie-Hélène. Coptic Fabrics. Paris, France: Adam Biro, 1990. p. 71
  • Africa & Byzantium. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (co-organizer) (April 14-July 21, 2024).
    Coptic Textile Rotation - Gallery 106. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (November 5, 2020-August 2, 2021).
    Coptic Textile Rotation Gallery 106. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (March 3, 2015-April 11, 2016).
    Coptic Textile Rotation Gallery 106. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (March 31, 2010-April 1, 2011).
    Byzantine Gallery 210 Rotation. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (November 2, 2001-October 15, 2002).
    Masterpieces of World Art from American Museums, From Ancient Egyptian to Contemporary Art, The National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo, Japan (September 11-October 17, 1976); The Kyoto National Museum, Kyoto, Japan (November, 2-December 5, 1976).
    L'art Copte, Petit Palais, Paris, France (June 15-September 15, 1964).
    Früchristliche und koptische Kunst, Akademie der bildenden Künste, Vienna, Austria (February 15-May 15, 1964).
    Coptic Art. Villa Hügel, Essen, Germany (organizer) (April 1-July 31, 1963).
    Koptische Kunst,Christentum am Nil, Villa Hügel, Essen, Germany (April 1-July 31, 1963); Kunsthaus, Zürich (October 31, 1963-January, 15, 1964).
    Art and Anatomy. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO (organizer) (May 8-June 6, 1960).
    Anatomy in Art. William Rockhill Nelson Gallery of Art, Kansas City. MO (May 8-June 6, 1960).
  • {{cite web|title=Nereid (Sea-Nymph) from a Hanging|url=false|author=|year=late 300s–400s CE|access-date=19 March 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1953.18