Art Institute of Chicago
Cyrus Defeats Spargapises from The Story of Cyrus
Adapted from designs by Michiel Coxie (1499–1592)LinkedCulture matchlcp-d2d9962e4e24
- Date
- c. 1670
- Medium
- Wool and silk, slit and double interlocking tapestry weave Warp: Count: 7 warps per cm; wool: S-ply of two Z-spun elements; diameters: 0.7–0.8 mm Weft: Count: varies from 18 to 30 wefts per cm; wool: S-ply of two Z-spun elements; diameters: 0.45–1.0 mm; silk: pairs of S-ply of two Z-twisted elements; diameters: 0.4–0.55 mm
- Culture
- Brussels
- Department
- Textiles
- Institution
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Object ID
- 151988
From the Art Institute of Chicago record
This tapestry is from a late-17th-century series derived from the earlier compositions of the Renaissance painter and designer Michiel Coxie. The Latin inscription in a cartouche in the upper border identified the subject as Cyrus the Great defeating the Scythians. This refers to an episode toward the end of Cyrus's extraordinary career when he attacked the land ruled by Queen Tomyris near the Caspian Sea. As recounted by Greek historians such as Herodotus, the Persian ruler lured the queen's son Spargapises into a trap, defeating him and taking him captive. However, Tomyris was so angered by her son's humiliation and subsequent suicide that she defeated Cyrus in battle and killed him.
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Provenance & credit
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- Credit line
- Gift of Honoré Palmer
- Provenance
- Potter Palmer (1826-1902; also Potter Palmer, Sr.) and Bertha Palmer (1849-1919; born Bertha Honoré; also Mrs. Potter Palmer), Chicago, by 1900 [this and the following according to Brosens 2008, 166]; by descent to their son, Honoré Palmer (1874-1964), Chicago and Sarasota, FL [incoming receipt R6716; Nov. 25, 1938; copy in curatorial object file]; given to the Art Institute of Chicago, 1938.
Linked open data
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- Object type
- AAT300014063
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