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Pillow Cover, Greek Islands, Cyclades, Naxos
At first glance, one might assume that the design on this textile was
embroidered in white. However, it is the red area that has been embroidered
in a running stitch with red silk thread. Silk reflects light differently
when viewed from various angles. Taking advantage of this characteristic,
the embroiderer gave the design vibrancy by orienting the threads in two
directions, so it appears to have been embroidered in two shades of red.
The use of a large amount of red silk thread and the geometric patterns
are characteristic of the textiles from the Greek island of Naxos. Here
the basic motif of a four-pointed star is elaborated upon with smaller
patterns that fill the spaces between and within the stars. Plain weave; embroidery, running stitch in alternate alignment Silk embroidery on linen ground fabric 111 cm x 44 cm The Textile Museum 81.2 Acquired by George Hewitt Myers before 1940
Each month we will highlight a different textile from the Museum's collection. |
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