Armored Knight Italian Tapestry

Armored Knight is an Italian jacquard wall tapestry. The artwork is a detail from The Beethoven Frieze by Gustav Klimt (1862 – 1918). In the scheme of the larger work this image represents the hope of humanity. The knight in shining armor offers hope due to his own ambition and sympathy for the pleading, suffering humans. One woman in the background symbolizes Ambition, holding up a wreath of victory and a second woman representing Sympathy, with lowered head and clasped hands.