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This silk is weft-faced, which is a complicated technique that would have needed sophisticated technology. This makes the textile expensive and implies that only a rich patron could afford it. This textile could have been used as a curtain in a rich home or building (like a church), or as a garment, worn on special occasions. Curtains are large in size, which will catch the attention of a viewer, and if placed in front of a window, a natural light source, will capture the attention of a viewer even further. Wearing the textile as a garment would also be an effective way to show off a decorative piece like this. If worn during a ceremony, it would attract attention to the individual wearing it. We know that in England in the 13th century, King Henry III owned a textile with Samson in combat with a lion on it. Henry III later gifted his Samson textile to St. Paul's cathedral.
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1media/DO BZ.1934.1 Man Subduing Lion.jpgmedia/tinywow_compress_2829736.jpg2021-11-03T14:02:38-07:00Christopher Smith598dd072cb4e8bd3059d173bfcefda25b5e50a98Man Subduing Lion/"Hero and Lion" Silk (DO BZ.1934.1)Brooke Hendershott34plain2023-01-20T09:14:40-08:00Brooke Hendershottb0a907cd0f989ee79e94592378a1545647719cfb