The embroidery shows the famous episode of the sacrifice of Polyxena, who was killed in atonement for the death of Achilles. The pattern itself must have been based on an European example, but some aspects, like the phoenixes and stylised waves are very Chinese in style. The faces and limbs of some of the figures were painted directly onto the cotton. Curatorial information suggests that the Chinese craftsmen were trained in Japan by Jesuits.
See also the entries on comparable hangings, from the same series, 'The Abduction of Helen' and 'The Prophecy of Calchas'.
Metropolitan Museum of Art online catalogue (retrieved 7 January 2017).
WV