Purple Silk Damask With Double-headed Eagle And Pierced Heart And Crown 17th C.

Original width preserved approx. 63 cm; preserved length 128 cm

Purple silk damask, attributable to an Italian production of the 17th century, preserving its original width. The fragment was most likely intended for wall decoration or for an architectural textile setting.

The decoration unfolds through large-scale scrolls and stylised vegetal motifs. Within the ornamental structure appears a rare double-headed eagle motif, associated with a pierced heart, surmounted by an episcopal headdress, possibly a mitre, and a crown. Together, these elements form a complex symbolic system referring to ideas of power, spiritual authority and institutional dignity.

The silk shows a subtle contrast between ground and pattern, achieved through variations in the weave structure. The purple colour remains stable and unfaded, indicating a high-quality dye.

The overall condition is good, with the presence of a few small stains.

The textile retains a label from a former owner, providing documentary interest.

By virtue of its quality of execution, the scale of its decoration and the controlled use of ornamental vocabulary, this damask belongs to the high-level silk production of the 17th century.