A rectangular textile fragment depicting a person on a red horse facing right above a person on a green horse facing left, bordered by two vertical multicolored stripes.
recto, after treatment Photo © President and Fellows of Harvard College
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recto, after treatment Photo © President and Fellows of Harvard College

The woolen tapestry-woven textile fragment depicts two rectangular panels, one above the other. The top panel has a dark green ground with a pale rider on a red horse facing right. Beneath, the panel has a red ground and the rider is wearing an orange robe riding a green horse and facing left. On either side of the panels is an orange stripe with white, green, and red dots down the center and blue borders, then a band of chevrons in red, orange, pink, blue, white, green, and yellow.

Identification and Creation

Object Number
1924.86
Title
Band with Two Figures on Horseback
Classification
Textile Arts
Work Type
tapestry
Date
7th century
Places
Creation Place: Ancient & Byzantine World, Africa, Egypt (Ancient)
Period
Byzantine period
Culture
Byzantine
Persistent Link
https://hvrd.art/o/292199

Physical Descriptions

Medium
Wool and linen
Technique
Tapestry
Dimensions
20 x 11.75 cm (7 7/8 x 4 5/8 in.)

Acquisition and Rights

Credit Line
Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Gift of Dr. Denman W. Ross
Accession Year
1924
Object Number
1924.86
Division
Asian and Mediterranean Art
Contact
am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu
Permissions

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Descriptions

Description
Vivid, fragmentary tapestry woven band with two riders. Each rider raises high his left arm. The upper rider has red hair, white clothing, and large yellow shoes. He sits on a red horse against a dark green, almost black field and faces to the right. The rider facing left has black hair, gold and pink clothing, black shoes, and a big smile. He sits upon a green galloping horse against a red field. Below the green horse, the top of a dark green square is visible, suggesting the design of the upper rider may repeat below. There is an outer border of interlocking color segments and an inner border of white dots connected by bars of red and green against a gold field. The fragments in the border areas are not all in their original placement.

The warps run perpendicular to the design. The tapestry band is mounted on a backing of folded plain linen.
Commentary
Similar to MFA 15.424 and 15.426 formerly of the Denman Waldo Ross Collection

Exhibition History

  • 32Q: 3740 Egyptian, Harvard Art Museums, Cambridge, 06/01/2022 - 11/28/2022
  • 32Q: 3620 University Study Gallery, Harvard Art Museums, Cambridge, 01/20/2024 - 05/05/2024

Verification Level

This record was created from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator; it may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. For more information please contact the Division of Asian and Mediterranean Art at am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu