FIVE COPTIC WOOL AND LINEN TEXTILE FRAGMENTS
Lot 184PROPERTY FROM A SWISS PRIVATE COLLECTION

FIVE COPTIC WOOL AND LINEN TEXTILE FRAGMENTS

CIRCA 5TH-9TH CENTURY A.D.

Closed30 April 2008

Price Realised

GBP 6,875

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FIVE COPTIC WOOL AND LINEN TEXTILE FRAGMENTS
CIRCA 5TH-9TH CENTURY A.D.
Comprising a 'red' wool tunic fragment with the distal part of a multicoloured clavus, depicting the repeated image of a figure being beaten, between standing figures with tall headdresses, with striped and foliate borders, 7th-9th Century A.D., 14½ x 8½ in. (37 x 21.5 cm.); a tunic roundel with central bust of a saint holding palm branches(?) in raised hands, surrounded by animals and figures with baskets of fruit, multicoloured details on red ground, with border of delicate foliate tendrils, 6th-8th Century A.D., 7 in. (18 cm.) diam.; a multicoloured decorative panel with two registers of five stylized dancing nude figures, each with an arm raised, within geometric borders, circa 7th-9th Century A.D., 10½ x 9½ in. (26.7 x 24 cm.); a multicoloured bird and floral element, on later linen ground, 5th-8th Century A.D., 4½ in. (11.5 cm.) long and 4 in. (10 cm.) high respectively; and a rectangular decorative panel comprising two bands of delicate foliate tendrils with central rosettes, surrounded by a border of similar tendrils and four flying erotes, the panel divided and bordered by bands of chevrons, details multicoloured on dark blue ground, 5th-8th Century A.D., 14½ x 7¾ in. (37 x 19.7 cm.) (5)

Swiss private collection, acquired by the great uncle of the present owner from the 1960s onwards.

Specialist note

Item one: it has been suggested that the subject may either represent Aphrodite beating her son Eros, or the Virgin Mary beating Jesus.