Rare 18th century embroideries from Skyros, Naxos and Siphnos at Cypria Auctions

Events & Activities Artculture Rare 18th century embroideries from Skyros, Naxos and Siphnos at Cypria Auctions 147.cushion Cover (proskefalada) From Skyros Relevant News George Pol Georghiou leads the June sale at Cypria Auctions 15 June 2026 Rare 18th century embroideries from Skyros, Naxos and Siphnos at Cypria Auctions 15 June 2026 Overnight pharmacies on Monday, June 15 15 June 2026 Advertorial 15 June 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber Among the highlights of the forthcoming Cypria Auctions sale in Nicosia is a small group of rare eighteenth-century embroideries from Skyros, Naxos and Siphnos, representing three distinct textile traditions of the Aegean. Created in different island communities yet sharing a common Mediterranean heritage, the works reveal the remarkable diversity of Greek embroidery traditions and the unique visual languages that developed across the islands over centuries. Supported by published scholarship and museum comparators, they offer a rare opportunity to encounter surviving examples of regional textile traditions that form part of the cultural heritage of the Greek islands. Skyros – A Symbolic Visual Language 18th centuryEstimate: €2,500–€3,500 A large eighteenth-century proskefalada (cushion cover) from Skyros stands out for its rich decorative vocabulary, incorporating birds, stylised human figures and floral motifs arranged within a highly structured composition. Embroidered in coloured silks on linen, the work .reflects the distinctive symbolic language that characterises Skyrian embroidery, where birds, floral motifs and stylised human figures combine within highly structured decorative schemes. Naxos – Renaissance Echoes in the Cyclades 18th centuryEstimate: €2,000–€3,000 Equally significant is a large embroidered cushion cover from Naxos. Produced within the island’s Latin community, probably in convent environments, Naxian embroideries are celebrated for their intricate geometric patterns and sophisticated stitching techniques. Scholars have suggested that many of their motifs derive from Renaissance pattern books, revealing a fascinating dialogue between Aegean textile traditions and wider European artistic currents. Siphnos – A Rare Survival 18th centuryEstimate: €1,500–€2,000 The group also includes an exceptionally rare curtain fragment from Siphnos. Only a handful of examples of this embroidery tradition are known today, with the best-known surviving curtain preserved in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The present fragment offers valuable insight into a textile culture that is now represented by very few surviving works. Together, the three embroideries offer a rare glimpse into the diversity, technical sophistication and cultural richness of the textile traditions that flourished across the Greek islands during the eighteenth century, preserving visual languages that survive today in only a limited number of examples. Auction Information Date: Wednesday, 17 June 2026Time: 7:30 PMLocation: Gallery K, NicosiaPublic view: Until 17 June 2026Catalogue: cypriaauctions.comBidding: In person, online, or by telephone Subscribe to our Newsletter Latest News George Pol Georghiou leads the June sale at Cypria Auctions Overnight pharmacies on Monday, June 15 Daily life in France Paphos starts cleanup campaign after spotting rubbish piles and people sleeping rough in city Christodoulides to present Cyprus Presidency results at Brussels European Council What ultimately determines whether a compliance programme succeeds or fails? Disability benefits to be increased across-the-board Follow en.philenews on Google News and be the first to know all the news about Cyprus and the world.