Rondel fragment with water fowl
Unknown designer
Looping, knitting, felting, and plaiting have been staple techniques for manipulating fibers since prehistoric times. This ancient textile, one of the first pieces to enter MoMA’s collection, was exhibited in 1931 alongside works by Paul Cézanne, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, and Georges Seurat—painters who recognized analogies between certain styles of ancient and modern art, particularly in their shared departures from realistic depiction.
Credit: Lillie P. Bliss Collection
4th-6th century C.E.
Wool and linen
20.3 x 27.3 x 27.3 cm
131.1934
Image and text © MoMA - Museum of Modern Art, New York, 2019
Where you'll find this
The Museum of Modern Art
Permanent collection