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Velvet with Pomegranate Pattern
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This extravagant Italian velvet with three heights of lush crimson pile is lavishly embellished with gold-thread loops. Large pomegranate patterns such as this were fashionable in Europe for more than a century, about 1420 to 1550, and were often featured in paintings and in large wall tapestries. Variations occurred in pattern details, pile height, and gold thread. Since pomegranates symbolized eternity, fertility, and resurrection, these velvets were often used in Roman Catholic churches. This pomegranate pattern inspired the cope, or cloak, worn by the Archbishop of Canterbury when he officiated the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011.
| Artist / Maker | Italy, Florence |
|---|---|
| Date | 1450–1500 |
| Culture / Origin | Italy, Florence |
| Medium | silk, gold thread; velvet: three heights of cut pile, gold thread loops |
| Dimensions | Overall: 300.9 x 56.5 cm (118 7/16 x 22 1/4 in.) |
| Department | Textiles |
| Type | Velvet |
About the Artist
Provenance & Source
Image & data: Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 / Public Domain.
Condition
A detailed condition report and high-resolution photography are available from our specialists in advance of the sale.
Shipping & Collection
Fine-art shipping with climate control and full insurance to over 120 countries; collection by appointment.
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