Monahinja Jefimija

END OF THE XII-TH CENTURY BY THE FAMOUS SERBIAN RULER, STEVAN NEMANJA. THE CURTAIN IS OF HEAVY CRIMSON SATIN, OVER FOUR FEET LONG, AND EMBROIDERED IN GOLD AND SILVER AND SILKS OF MANY COLOURS. IN THE CENTRE IS WORKED THE FIGURE OF THE SAVIOUR, STANDING BETWEEN SAINT JOHN CHRYSOSTOM AND SAINT BASIL THE GREAT; ABOVE THEM ARE ANGELS CARRYING BANNERS; AT THE FEET OF THE SAVIOUR, EUPHEMIA HAS WORKED AN INSCRIPTION IN WHICH SHE BESEECHES THE LORD TO SAVE HER SOUL AND MERCIFULLY TO ACCEPT THIS HER GIFT.

THIS CURTAIN, WHICH IS VERY HANDSOME AND WELL PRESERVED, CAN BE SEEN TO-DAY IN THE TREASURY OF THE MONASTERY OF HILENDAR. AS NEEDLEWORK, IT IS OF GREATER ARTISTIC VALUE THAN THE PALL, AND IS UNDOUBTEDLY ONE OF THE MOST PRECIOUS RELICS OF EMBROIDERED ICONOGRAPHY IN THE BYZANTINE STYLE.

ONE MORE SPECIMEN OF EUPHEMIA’S WORK HAS BEEN PRESERVED AND GIVES FURTHER PROOF THAT ABOUT THE YEAR 1400 THE ART OF EMBROIDERY FLOURISHED IN THESE LANDS IN A HIGH DEGREE. THIS IS THE BEAUTIFUL EPITAPHIOS NOW