Rie Muñoz (American, 1921-2015)
Mermaid Legend
- Date: 1979
- Medium: Wool tapestry
- Object Dimensions: 65 x 46 in. (165.1 x 116.84 cm)
- Credit Line: Museum Purchase, 1979.025
- Photo Credit: Jueqian Fang
- Verbal Description: This is a seascape tapestry. Most of the long composition is filled with geometric waves, made up of varying shades of blues and greens in pointed, cut-out shapes. The sky is solid black with a round circle, presumably a blue, full moon, slightly off centered with the waves lapping up over part of it. Floating near the top is a brown sea mammal on its back, possibly a walrus, judging by its white tusks. It seems to be cut open, with an olive and peach human-like creature crawling out of its belly. Extending from this creature’s fingers is a curved wave that has fractured lines of dark blue and moss green, disrupting the pattern of the waves. Below and to the left of the sea mammal, a mermaid with an orange, human torso, and a fish-like, gray and yellow tail bounces like the letter “U” on the waves.
