Tapestry 'The Announcement of the Decree of Cyrus'

The storyline of the tapestry has not been identified as yet. Based on descriptions of The Story of Cyrus the Great tapestries and the scene depicted in this tapestry, it may be assumed that the textile incorporates two historical events: the King of Persia Cyrus announcing his decree, and the King of Persia Cyrus returning treasures stolen from the Israelites’ temple.
In the Scriptures it is written that Cyrus made the following announcement orally and in writing in his whole kingdom: “The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and He has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever there is among you of all His people, may the LORD his God be with him, and let him go up!” (2 Chronicles 36).
The story is expanded in the panoramic composition over several planes, clearly distinguishing the main scene. The figures in the first plane are spaced out in a semi-circle, in the centre is the imposing figure of King Cyrus. The larger-scale figures on the edges of the semi-circle grow progressively smaller towards the centre, thereby creating the illusion of spatial perspective. Cyrus is depicted in elaborate embossed armour, wrapped in a billowing cloak. The king’s attributes include a crown adorning his head and a sceptre held in his left hand. The ruler is portrayed performing an expressive movement – he is reading his decree, held by a bearded man standing nearby who stands out for his decorative, richly ornamented dress. To the right of the king is an armoured soldier with his helmet on his shoulder, holding a bundle of arrows (?). On the left-hand side of the composition, nearer the edge, are two soldiers. One has golden armour and an opulent, embossed helmet, and is leaning against a shield decorated with the symbol of the sun, while the other is bending to put down a decorative metal dish. Between them there is a youth carrying a heavy chest. At the top of the composition there are fragments of a temple with marble columns and ceilings decorated with panels.
On the right-hand side of the first plane there is a kneeling bearded man in richly ornamented dress laying out decorative gold and silver dishes on a flowering meadow. Near him are two chests decorated with binding. A little higher is a group of kneeling people in prayer (a woman with a child, an elderly man, a woman with a youth and a couple). At the top of the right-hand side of the composition there is a city wall with gates and many small figures scattered in the meadow. Many of them are portrayed carrying chests or packages, among them are two men near some camels. The most distant plane of the composition is filled with a hilly landscape and stretch of sky, segmented with the silhouettes of single trees. The textile’s composition is dynamic, the figures’ movement is varied and expressive, and the ornamentation of the costumes is interesting and rich. The meadow with numerous naturally depicted flowers and grasses which constitutes the background of the first plane stands out for its variety, making the tapestry truly decorative. The textile is framed by a wide border. Its compositional structure is formed by a grotesque ornament which divides the border into segments. Small hunting scenes are depicted in the centre segments of each border band. These segments are framed with columns with grotesquely stylized figures of telamones and caryatids. In the corners of the bottom border are fragments of corner steps with balustrades, and couples snacking on the stairway landings. The top and bottom borders are shortened on the right hand side – one segment is missing, depicting an allegorical figure near the central segment with the landscape. The centre segments on the top and bottom borders are surrounded by arches leaning against telamon and caryatid columns. The centres of the arches are decorated with lush floral bouquets, the tops have creepers climbing over them. At the sides of the borders there are open loggias decorated with flowers. Grotesque ornaments intertwined with floral and fruit motifs surround the central part of the side borders.