Half of a Tabard
1250-1450
Medium
Cotton, plain weave; embellished with feathers (likely from Chilean flamigos, macaws, and Muscovy ducks) knotted and attached with cotton in overcast stitches
Dimensions
99.1 × 82.6 cm (39 × 32 1/2 in.)
Classification
featherwork
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
85518
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Featherworks are challenging for scholars to interpret because they are rare and so materially different from more common woven textiles made by the same cultures. Motifs have various colors because of the vibrant plumages of the birds and have altered forms because of how the artists sewed the strands of feathers to the ground cloths. This tabard is distinct from more common tunics because it was not originally sewn up the sides. A very similar garment in the collection of the Metropolitan Muse...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...