The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of May 4, 2024

Lower Section of a Tunic

Lower Section of a Tunic

400s CE
Undyed linen and dyed wool: tapestry weave with supplementary weft wrapping
Overall: 54.9 x 106.7 cm (21 5/8 x 42 in.); Mounted: 67.3 x 118.1 cm (26 1/2 x 46 1/2 in.)
Gift of William E. Ward in memory of his wife, Evelyn Svec Ward 1993.177
Location: 106A Migration Period & Coptic

Did You Know?

Long wide tunics were the most common garments of this time period.

Description

This is the bottom section of a well-woven wool unisex tunic. Various stylized roundels with animals and baskets decorate the hem that extends into round finials with birds. The interior two square panels complete the design. Extra wefts, or horizontal threads, enrich the animals and the deep blue ground, probably a failed purple dye. While the robe itself is created from linen, the fringes at the bottom are made from wool.
  • -1975
    (Ascher, Paris, France, sold to Mr. William E. Ward)
    1975-1993
    Mr. William E. Ward (1922–2004). Solon, OH, gifted to the Cleveland Museum of Art, in memory of his wife, Evelyn Svec Ward
    1993-
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • “1993 Annual Report.” The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 81, no. 6 (1994). p. 167 www.jstor.org
  • Coptic Textile Rotation Gallery 106. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (May 23, 2017-May 14, 2018).
    Coptic Textile Rotation Gallery 106. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (April 4, 2011-May 21, 2012).
  • {{cite web|title=Lower Section of a Tunic|url=false|author=|year=400s CE|access-date=04 May 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1993.177