Tapestry of Creation facts for kids
The Tapestry of Creation, also known as the Girona Tapestry, is a very old and special piece of art from the 11th century. It's a type of needlework that looks like a tapestry. You can find it in the Museum of the Cathedral of Girona in Catalonia, Spain.
This amazing artwork is quite large, measuring about 3.65 meters by 4.70 meters (around 12 by 15 feet). People think it might have been used in different ways. Some believe it was a canopy (a decorative cover) over the Altar of the Holy Cross. Others suggest it was a curtain or even a carpet. The tapestry shows many scenes about the Christian story of how the world was created.
This "tapestry" is actually made using a special sewing technique called couching. This means threads are laid on the fabric surface and then stitched down. The main fabric is a terracotta-colored wool, woven with different colors like red, green, yellow, and blue, plus white linen threads. The border around the main picture is a bit worn out. It has small square pictures that some experts think were added later because they look a bit different, like Byzantine art.
What the Tapestry Shows
The tapestry is divided into three main parts, even though only the top part of the original artwork still exists today.
- The first part shows the story of creation, with Christ Pantocrator in the center.
- The second part features elements of the cosmos, like the sun, moon, and winds.
- The third part tells stories about the Holy Cross.
The Creation Story
In the very center of the tapestry, you'll see a picture of the Christ Pantocrator. He looks like a young man without a beard. He is inside a circle, and around him are scenes showing the seven days of creation. The top part of this circle has a dove, which is a symbol for God. The creation story ends with the making of Adam and Eve. Both the inner and outer circles have quotes from the Bible's book of Genesis.
Cosmic Elements and Figures
The space around the central circle is also full of interesting details. In the four corners of the main rectangle, there are figures representing the Winds. These are shown as young men with wings, dressed in Roman-style clothes. They are driving boats and blowing air into horns.
At the very top center, there's an old man who represents the Year. He holds a Wheel of Time. In the top corners, you can see figures that stand for the Rivers of Paradise. The other six squares at the top show the Four Seasons. You can also see figures like Samson and either Abel or Cain.
At the bottom corners of the tapestry, there are figures representing the Sun (on the left, symbolizing Sunday) and the Moon (on the right, though it's quite damaged, symbolizing Monday). The squares along the sides show the months of the year, but only eight of them are still visible. At the very bottom, there are incomplete scenes about the discovery of the Holy Cross.
See also
In Spanish: Tapiz románico de la Creación para niños
