October 14, 2017 The Coptic Tapestry Albums and The Archaeologist of Antinoé, Albert Gayet Talk by Nancy Hoskins Some pictures click on the thumbnail for the full picture. Frescoes, paintings, mosaics, and sculptures from all over the Roman Empire depict distinctive textiles decorated with tapestry, such as those found in Coptic Egyptian burial sites (3rd -7th century A.D.). The colorful ornaments illustrate birds, fish, fruit, flowers, figures, portraits, geometric motifs, religious symbols, and narrative scenes both classical and Christian. The tapestries and other textiles reveal the rich cultural construct of the time and place in which they were created. The lecture will focus on her book about the Archaeologist of Antinoé, Albert Gayet and his connection with the unique collection of tapestry fragments at the Henry Art Gallery at the University of Washington. Slides from her museum research in over fifty museums and a display of her own personal collection of one thousand year old Coptic fragments will be shared. Nancy Arthur Hoskins, a former college weaving instructor, researched Coptic collections in over fifty museums around the world. She is the author of "Universal Stitches for Weaving, Embroidery, and Other Fiber Arts," "Weft-Faced Pattern Weaves: Tabby to Taqueté" and "The Coptic Tapestry Albums and the Archaeologist of Antinoé, Albert Gayet." She has contributed chapters about Egyptian textiles to five other books. Nancy has researched Pharaonic, Coptic, and Early Islamic textile collections in over eighty museums in Canada, England, France, Italy, Portugal, Australia, Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Peru, and America. She has presented lectures and workshops for national and international guilds, conferences, and universities. Hoskins’ art fabrics have been in solo, group, and invitational exhibits. In 2009 and 2010 she led The Textiles of Egypt Tours, in 2013 presented a lecture at Yale University’s Peabody Museum and in 2015 took a Textile Tour of Peru, taught in England, and exhibited her art fabrics in Oregon. Currently researching and publishing articles on Bronze Age Minoan and Egyptian textile patterns found in paintings. return to home page