Alexander the Great on Horseback
Unknown Artist
700s
Medium
dyed wool, undyed linen; plain weave and slit-tapestry weave
Dimensions
{"overall":{"height":0.305,"width":0.248},"mounted":{"height":0.419,"width":0.368}}
Classification
Textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of The Textile Arts Club
Accession Number
1959.123
About this artwork
Featuring imperial Byzantine themes, this rare roundel originally decorated a tunic. Genii (guardian spirits) crown the mounted horseman in military dress while an animal runs below. The inscription at the top identifies the horseman as Alexander the Great (356-323 bc), a popular cult figure in Egypt for centuries. The pattern’s mirror-image symmetry indicates the influence of costlier Byzantine silks.