Theodosius Arrives at Ephesus
(Scene from the Legend of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus)
1205-1210
Theodosius Arrives at Ephesus
The Annunciation
Circa 1290-1300
The Virgin Mary and
Five Standing Saints Predella Panels
1440-1446
Opus Anglicanum (Chasuble)
Late 15th Century
This fragment of "opus anglicanum" ("English work" as it was called in medieval inventories) is remarkable for the richness of its design and its superb state of preservation. The decoration consists of two cherubim, each atop a wheel from which rays of light emanate; four fleurs-de-lis; and four thistles in three different designs, each motif distributed along a vertical axis. These elements, all embroidered in vibrantly colored silk and silver-gilt threads, are appliquéd onto the red velvet foundation, on which the scrolls and other designs—accented with attached minute silver-gilt rings or shot—are embroidered directly. The lay of the velvet, the vertical warp and design, and the outline of the fragment indicate that it formed the lower-right quadrant of a chasuble, worn by a priest during the celebration of Mass.
Fragment of a Tapestry or Wall Hanging
Circa 1420-1430
This tapestry fragment represents a fabulous lionlike beast with pointed teeth, clawed feet, and a scaly rump. The remainder of the tapestry (or Rücklaken as such hangings are called in contemporary sources) which survives in the monastery of Muri Gries near Bolzano represents courtly figures subduing similar fantastic animals. Such beasts, derived from those illustrated in the Classical and medieval texts on the nature of animals symbolize vices related to concupiscence; they are subdued, which suggests the figures posed with them have conquered libidinous cravings. Such tapestries were displayed in domestic interiors at frieze level, offering decoration as well as insulation.
King Arthur
Circa 1400-1410
This tapestry is part of four reconstructed hangings derived from a set of three tapestries depicting The Nine or (Ten?) Worthies, including King Arthur, Joshua, David, Hector of Troy, Julius Caesar, and various attendants. One of the reconstructed hangings (32.130.2 b, 47.101.1, 47.152) shows two of the three Hebrew Worthies in their settings and nearly all of their attendant figures. Another represents King Arthur (32.130.2 a, 47.101.4), one of the three or possibly four figures that appeared in the originaly tapestry devoted to the Christian Worthies together with some attendant figures. The third and fourth pieces represent respectively Hector of Troy (47.101.2), and Julius Caesar (47.101.3), with attendant, all taken from a third tapestry which depicted the three Pagan Worthies. A number of other fragments (47.101.5 and 49.123), which show architectural elements, bits of landscape in which the buildings are set, and incomplete figures of three cardinals and a bishop, all apparently unconnected to those parts of the three original hangings that had survived, are preserved separately in the Metropolitan Museum.
The Unicorn in Captivity
Circa 1495-1505
The seven individual hangings known as "The Unicorn Tapestries," are among the most beautiful and complex works of art from the late Middle Ages that survive. Luxuriously woven in fine wool and silk with silver and gilded threads, the tapestries vividly depict scenes associated with a hunt for the elusive, magical unicorn. "The Unicorn in Captivity" may have been created as a single image rather than part of a series. In this instance, the unicorn probably represents the beloved tamed. He is tethered to a tree and constrained by a fence, but the chain is not secure and the fence is low enough to leap over: The unicorn could escape if he wished. Clearly, however, his confinement is a happy one, to which the ripe seed-laden pomegranates in the tree—a medieval symbol of fertility and marriage—testify. The red stains on his flank do not appear to be blood, as there are no visible wounds like those in the hunting series; rather, they represent juice dripping from bursting pomegranates above. Many of the other plants represented here, such as wild orchid, bistort, and thistle, echo this theme of marriage and procreation: They were acclaimed in the Middle Ages as fertility aids for both men and women. Even the little frog, nestled among the violets at the lower right, was cited by medieval writers for its noisy mating.
For More Artifacts of Medieval Times Go To:
Metropolitan Museum