Curtain (one of a pair) (1600s–1700s): Art, History and Details

Curtain (one of a pair) (1600s–1700s) is in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection.

The work and its context

The museum's open-access catalogue describes the work:

One of a pair, this curtain displays colorful silk bands with woven geometric motifs, and cream bands with gold-embroidered plants, birds, six-pointed stars, and the khamsah (خمسة), an open five-fingered hand. Birds and the tree of life were popular good luck or fertility symbols linked to marriage. This curtain’s cosmopolitan motifs would have resonated with Jews, Muslims, and Christians alike, reflecting its creation on multiethnic and multireligious Djerba, an island off the Tunisian coast. There, both goldsmithing and gold thread embroidery were done by Jewish artisans (male and female, respectively). The fine materials suggest this curtain once hung in a wealthy home or for special occasions; interior wall hangings were typically made from rough wool.

Object facts

• Title: Curtain (one of a pair)
• Date: 1600s–1700s
• Culture: Africa, North Africa, Tunisia, Djerba, Tunisian weaver(s) and embroiderer(s)
• Type: Embroidery
• Technique: Silk, linen, metal, and dye
• Dimensions: Overall: 276.8 x 136.7 cm (109 x 53 13/16 in.)
• Collection: T - Islamic
• Department: Textiles
• Accession number: 1916.1361.b

A detail from the museum

When first acquired over a century ago, this curtain had fringe at its lower end.

Collection credit

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Wade

View the collection record

See the museum's photographs and full catalogue entry. Catalogue text is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art's open-access data, with HTML formatting removed. This object and its supplied image are designated CC0.