New-York tribune., 1907-10-03
RARE TAPESTRY SHOWN
Great Value of Baker Gift to
Museum Just Discovered.

Almost indstinguishabe in it's method and fine
Of weaving from the Gobelin tapestries OF the
last two centuries Is piece of Coptio tapestry
now on exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum or
Art. This tapestry part a gift made by George
+. Baker in 1890. but it's Importance has just been
discovered Is about 10 by 9iz inches. and repre-
sents a woman holding a chiffon in her upraised
hands. Sir Purdon Clarke said yesterday that it
was hard 20 determine whether the piece was
pagan or Christian in character. A nimbus about
the head. he said. would infer the latter although
there Is a similar panel in KensinGton Museum rep
resenting Hermes and distinctly pagan.
The panel differs from the technique OF the Gobe-
lin tapestries only that the warp is Of linen in
stead OF the modern cotton wool thread. The
whole of the weft is in WOOL whereas the medieval
and modern custom IS 10 use silks for the high
lights The panel is woven with the warp and sub
ject running the same way, 10 save much work
possible on the horizontal lines. Where changes
Of colors occur on vertical lines in unimportant
places the colors are zigzagsed, but where there
is a sharp deviation required u slit woven open
and afterward sewed UP. This piece OF the second
or third centuries, IS the only example Of Egyp-
tian "Goben' work possessed by the museum.
Two recent purchases are small Last Supper"
by Tintoretto and an altar piece by Gina, repre-
senting IN stately attitudes st. Anthony. ST Roch
and 81. Lucy. The altar piece is from the collec-
ton of the Duke of Leuchtenberg. OF St Peters
burg. while the Last supper formerly In
the possession Of Lord Methuen. y statue OF 81.
Catharine. fifteenth century French. IS another
purchase OF the last month
The most important loan made 10 the museum for
several months is that the Barberini tapestries
lent by tho Cathedral OF St John the ptSine, prob
ably through the influence of Mr. Morgan. Twelve
pieces constitute the se;, which bears the general
title The Mysteries of the Life and Death OF
Christ" The set was at the pontihcal tap
estry works at Rome. under the auspices OF Car
dina Barberinl for the chapel OF Urban VIII about
1912. The cartoons for this series arc sul pre-
served in the palace Of the BarbeTin in Rome. The
style OF the series is OF the late Renaissance ana
somewhat floril.
Much space is devoted in The Bulletin of this
month to the work Of the Egyptian Exploration
Fund in excavating the pyramid temple of Amen
emhat !. at LIshL Nearly one hundred tombs have
been opened. but. the undertakers frequently
robbed the toE4bs Of the wealthy. few interesting
things were found until the grave OF woman
named senbtes was opened. This had suffered only
the contemporary disturbance, and 1t took two
months 10 unearth all its treasures. The body
incased in three collins. In telling of tho contents
of the innermost coffin Professor Lythgoe says:
The FACE mask was of thicker plaster carefully
modelled. with inaid eyes OF alabaster and OBJ
sidlan set in silver frames. At the neck there was
n panel OF actual beads-carnelian and glaze-set
into the plaster, with conventional wig curls on
either side, done IN blue paste with a caTneila1
been fastened to the body OF the coffin by a sys-
tenn OF bronze pins and catches. so ingenious In
made 81 soft wood which had rotted away so that
only measurements and notes on its construction
and scheme Of ornamentation could be secured. II
was laid its side. with the face toward the eye
panels of the outer collins.
Immediately inside this third coffin there was
thick layer Of pitch which must have been poured
after the body had been laid in position, just
prior the burial. for the pitch had for the most
down the left side of the body, ana
must therefore have been introduced only Just be-
fore the coffin was closed and laid on It's side In
this pitch layer found the most valuable OF
the personal ornaments, which must have been
placed on the body outside tho final wrappings
and been dragged out of position by the pltch as
They consisted OF a clrclet from the head
formed of three coils OF twisted gold wire ending
I'm an ornament over the forehead and series or
ninetzeight gold rosettes which had been dotted
the wig and fastened to its separate strands;
q necklace of tiny gold, carnelian and beryl beads
brown beads with gIrdle-te pendants of gold sill
yer. carnelian bery and ivory, and bracelets (0 Of
tiny brown beads with. at intervals, double heart
amulets of gold, carnelian, beryl and ivory Just
inside this pitch layer and outside the wrappings
OF the body there very elaborate bead girdle,
fastened the right side with plaque of plaster
name Senbtes. and. close to the hands on the left
side small dagger in wooden sheath decorated
with gold
The body was wrapped In several thicknesses OF
cloth. The innermost wrapping of all a shawl
of extraordinarily fine texture, averaging b0x30
threads to the Centimetre The outer wrappings
consisted of alternate shawls and bandages. the
cloth OF the latter being of much coarser quality,
only averaging 40Xl6 threads to the centimetre. The
these wrappings. and separated from each other by
the various layers of cloth, there were a number
of other personal ornaments; two elaborate bead
collars of carnean, glazed pottery and gilt plaster;
a bronze peCtoral covered with gold foil; necklace
OF bottle shaped beads made of Ivory, Carnelian,
green stone and glazed pottery covered with gold
a carnelian hawk amulet; small cane covered
with bead work and tipped with gold. and behind
terial which may perhaps be the prototype OF the
later inscribed hypocephalus.