A Falconer with Two Ladies and a Foot Soldier
c. 1500
Medium
Wool and silk, slit and double interlocking tapestry weave Warp: Count: 5 warps per cm; wool: S-ply of three Z-spun elements; diameters: 0.9–1.2 mm Weft: Count: varies from 11 to 34 wefts per cm; wool: S-ply of two, three, and four Z-spun elements; diameters: 0.7–1.7 mm; silk: pairs of S-ply of two Z-twisted elements; diameters: 0.7–1.2 mm
Dimensions
362.7 × 285.8 cm (142 7/8 × 112 1/2 in.)
Classification
weaving - tapestry
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
6792
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Two fashionably dressed women, a man in falconer’s garb, another man in the less ornate costume of a foot soldier, and a dog occupy an island surrounded by a flat expanse covered in an overall pattern of small flowers and plants known as millefleur. The shallow, earthy cross section visible on the front edge of the island reveals that some attempt was made to create an impression of depth. It is unlikely that this image had any particular symbolic or narrative significance; rather, it was probab...
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...