LOT 0504

Very Large Egyptian Coptic Composition of Textile Tunic Fragments

CIRCA 560-700 A.D.

58 x 60 in. (5.15 kg, 1.45 x 1.52 m).

A composition of Roman-era Coptic textiles, assembled from various tunic and tapestry elements: 12 clavi, paired segmenta, and 4 tablia decorated with vegetal and floral motifs, framed by L-shaped elements composed of two clavi with orbiculi; geometric patterns wind along the clavi, while the orbiculi feature vegetal motifs and fish surrounded by small spheres; rhomboidal appliqués punctuate the surface; red, yellow, green, brown, pink, and indigo-blue wool, S-twist; mounted on a canvas with a wooden frame.

From the private antiquities collection of a Kensington collector.
With a scientific report by RCD RadioCarbon dating from a sample taken in 2008.
Property of a Huddersfield, UK, gentleman.

This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13444-263431

Cf. Del Francia Barocas, L., Antinoe, Cent’anni dopo,catalogo della mostra, Firenze, Palazzo Medici Riccardi, 10 Luglio – 1 novembre 1998, cat.nos. 60,230,259-260,263,267,276-277, for similar textiles.

The fragments are decorative parts of tunics or wall tapestries. These are fabrics of great decorative finesse, with some elements displaying an unusual and extremely well-preserved colour palette. The plant and animal designs are related to the so-called Nilotic decorative pattern, with Pagan elements persisting in the Christian Empire. Parts of this composition could also belong to a female shawl, like the famous Sabina's shawl found by Gayet in Antinoe.