Lampas with griffins in roundels, from the Reliquary of Saint Librada in Siguenza Cathedral
Unknown Artist
1100–50
Medium
Silk and gold thread: lampas and plain-weave variant
Dimensions
52.7 × 63.5 cm · mounted: 61 × 71.1 cm
Classification
Textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
Accession Number
1952.152
About this artwork
Mirrored griffins with gold heads dominate these roundels, as they turn their heads unnaturally to stare at each other across their wing tips. The pairs of dragons in the framing border, however, have lost their artistic impact since the green silk thread has disintegrated into brown specks. Luxury silks woven in Islamic Spain were worn by Christian kings throughout Europe. Their patterns also influenced designs in Jewish synagogues and were the standard aesthetic of the elaborately decorated wa...