Cleveland Museum of Art

Curtain

Date

1600s–1700s

Medium

Silk, linen, metal, and dye

Culture

Africa, North Africa, Tunisia, Djerba, Tunisian weaver(s) and embroiderer(s)

Department

Textiles

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

This pair of curtains 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. The 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 they once hung in a wealthy home or for special occasions; interior wall hangings were typically made from rough wool. When first acquired over a century ago, these curtains had fringe at their lower ends.

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