Bed hanging
Unknown Artist
18th century
Medium
Silk on silk
Dimensions
L. 80 x W. 54 inches (203.2 x 137.2 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Embroidered
Culture
Greek Islands, Karpathos
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of George D. Pratt, 1932
Accession Number
32.48.2
Art Historical Context
This exquisite 18th-century bed hanging hails from the Greek island of Karpathos in the Dodecanese, a remote Aegean outpost known for its enduring folk traditions. Crafted by an unknown artist, this large textile—measuring 80 by 54 inches—was likely prized domestic ornament, draping beds in island homes to add elegance and warmth. Donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in1932 by George D Pratt, it now resides in the European Sculpture andative Arts department, offering a window into everyday luxury from Ottoman-era Greece. Executed in silk on silk, the work exemplifies fine embroidery tech...