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Annunciation

8th-9th century
Not on view
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.
With its complexly woven design and elaborately varied color scheme, this fragment epitomizes the highest achievements of Byzantine silk production. The skillful rendering of the angel Gabriel and the seated Virgin as well as the attention to the ornamental motifs attest to the weaver’s skill. Such high-end silks were often sent as imperial gifts to neighboring courts. This work is thought to have entered the Vatican soon after its production; it was discovered in the twentieth century wrapped around a relic in a silver casket.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Annunciation
  • Date: 8th-9th century
  • Geography: Made in Alexandria or Egypt, Syria, Constantinople (?)
  • Medium: Weft-faced compound twill (samit) in polychrome silk
  • Dimensions: 13 1/4 x 27 1/16 in. (33.6 x 68.7 cm)
  • Classification: Textiles
  • Credit Line: Vatican Museums, Vatican City (61231)
  • Curatorial Department: Medieval Art and The Cloisters