Mary Beard Professor of Classics at Cambridge University Date of Birth: 01.01.1955 Country: Great Britain

1. Mary Bird: A Professor of Classical Discipline
2. A Tapestry Linked to Julius Caesar
3. The Impressive Discovery
4. The Value of the Tapestry
5. Mary's Expertise and Research
6. The Lost Collection of Tapestries

Mary Bird: A Professor of Classical Discipline

Mary Bird, a professor of classical discipline at the University of Cambridge, made headlines recently when she discovered a historically significant tapestry in an art exhibition in New York. Known for her expertise in classical studies, Mary stumbled upon a restored tapestry that she believes once belonged to King Henry VIII. As she was preparing for her lecture, she came across an image of the tapestry for sale in the Persian Gallery in Manhattan while browsing through Google.

A Tapestry Linked to Julius Caesar

The tapestry in question resembled one of the woven carpet-paintings that were created in the past. During his reign, King Henry VIII commissioned a series of tapestries depicting the history of Roman politician Julius Caesar. The original series of tapestries is believed to be lost. However, according to Tom Campbell, a British art historian and the director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, a few later tapestries from the same theme still exist, dating back to the years 1560-1570.

The Impressive Discovery

Mary stumbled upon the tapestry in question while studying later images from the series "The Lives of the Twelve Caesars." The tapestry for sale in New York resembled a remarkable piece titled "Caesar Seizes the Roman Treasury," which was woven in the 16th century. Mary described the tapestry as an impressive work that closely matched one of the later tapestries from the 1560-1570 period.

The Value of the Tapestry

According to Mary, this particular tapestry was sold at an auction in Berlin in 1935. She stated that there are not many copies of similar works, and it is undoubtedly valuable, possibly being one of the tapestries from the late 16th century. However, without being a technical expert on tapestries, Mary couldn't provide a definitive conclusion. She mentioned in her blog that she could only speculate that this New York tapestry belongs to the same series on Caesar, based on the iconography and border ornamentation. However, she humorously added that she is not Indiana Jones.

Mary's Expertise and Research

In her blog post, Professor Bird admitted that she lacks the required background to determine the tapestry's exact creation date, acknowledging the possibility of being mistaken. Mary had previously written about the series of carpet-paintings commissioned by King Henry VIII back in 1998. Despite her extensive research, she was unable to locate the original tapestries. However, according to information from "The Times," besides the originals, there were three generations of copies, some of which are now part of royal collections in Rome, Sweden, and Portugal.

The Lost Collection of Tapestries

The original collection of tapestries consisted of ten pieces, which mysteriously vanished in the early 19th century. In 1649, the collection was valued at £5022.

Mary Bird's unexpected encounter with the tapestry in New York has sparked interest and speculation among art enthusiasts and historians. Her expertise and knowledge in classical studies continue to contribute significantly to the field, and her blog serves as a platform for sharing her findings and observations. While she remains cautious about making definitive conclusions, Mary's discovery adds further intrigue to the history of these rare tapestries.