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Michiel Coxcie, I

The Diversion of the Euphrates, from The Story of Cyrus

c. 1670
Wool and silk, slit and single interlocking tapestry weave
325.4 × 404.8 cm (128.1 × 159.4 in)

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In the collection of Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · as of July 2026

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FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

The Latin inscriptions in the center of the upper border of this and the neighboring tapestry make clear that they illustrate the story of Cyrus the Great, ruler of the Medes and the Persians. Here he oversees the laborious work of diverting the Euphrates River, a tactic that would permit his troops to approach the city of Babylon and conquer it. These tapestries were woven from cartoons that adapted designs by the 16th-century court artist Michiel Coxie. Their rich borders, filled with garlands and putti as well as military trophies, are in a later Baroque style, while the poses of the ruler and his advisors take on a somewhat stereotypical aspect.

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