Coptic. <em>Female Personification</em>, 5th century C.E. Flax, wool, 11 1/2 x 11 1/2 in. (29.2 x 29.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 56.125. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 56.125_PS9.jpg)

Coptic. Female Personification, 5th century C.E. Flax, wool, 11 1/2 x 11 1/2 in. (29.2 x 29.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 56.125. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 56.125_PS9.jpg)

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In Bust of a Female, what exactly is a guillotine border?

That's actually a typo that we are working on getting fixed. In reality, the border on this textile fragment is referred to as a guilloche border which is formed from interlacing circles. The pattern was very common in art throughout the ancient Mediterranean dating back thousands of years.

Thanks!

Was this made by hand?

Yes, these Coptic textiles were made entirely by hand, though looms were certainly utilized. The flying-shuttle technique referenced in the label involved an extra shuttle to create the fine details in the weft.

Incredible. Thanks again! Is this technique ever used in the present?

Like all weaving techniques, the flying shuttle technique is still used today, though I believe it has fallen out of favor in larger industrial settings. Home weavers and historically minded weavers still use techniques that might be obsolete in the context of mass production.

It looks like a mushroom in her basket. Could that be the case?

It is actually a basket of fruit! The pose parallels Late Roman representation and personifications.

Female Personification

Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art

The female figure holds a palm frond in one hand and a basket in the other. She has wings of dark blue outlined in light blue. Pomegranates create a border around the scene.

This textile may have been used as a cushion cover, an embroidered funerary cover in imitation of a Roman period-mummy mask, or may have been part of an embroidered wall hanging.

In the image included here, taken by our Conservation Department, the light-colored areas indicate where indigo dye is present.

CULTURE Coptic

MEDIUM Flax, wool

DATES 5th century C.E.

PERIOD Late Antique Period

DIMENSIONS 11 1/2 x 11 1/2 in. (29.2 x 29.2 cm) as mounted: 16 x 16 x 1 11/16 in. (40.6 x 40.6 x 4.3 cm) (show scale)

COLLECTIONS Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art

ACCESSION NUMBER 56.125

CREDIT LINE Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund

MUSEUM LOCATION This item is not on view

CAPTION Coptic. Female Personification, 5th century C.E. Flax, wool, 11 1/2 x 11 1/2 in. (29.2 x 29.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 56.125. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 56.125_PS9.jpg)

IMAGE overall, 56.125_PS9.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 2015

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RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY

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