Nov 7, 2007
Nov 7, 2007

Brocaded silk with foliate medallions from a kaftan

Brocaded silk with foliate medallions from a kaftan

1525–75

Silk: lampas weave, silver-metal thread

Overall: 105.7 x 49.5 cm (41 5/8 x 19 1/2 in.); Mounted: 110.5 x 54.6 cm (43 1/2 x 21 1/2 in.)

Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1924.741

Location

Description

Medallions enriched with floral and foliate decoration were signature Ottoman patterns during the height of silk textile production in the second half of the 1500s. Imperial kaftans with related patterns are preserved in the Topkapi Palace Museum in Istanbul along with those worn by young princes. In this splendid length from a kaftan, abundant silver-thread flora and overlapping leaves on vines enliven medallions in the densely woven fabric. It is a combination of two weaves, called lampas, which creates two contrasting surfaces composed of vertical warps and horizontal wefts.

See also
Collection: 
T - Islamic
Department: 
Textiles
Type of artwork: 
Textile

Contact us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@clevelandart.org.

To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk.

All images and data available through Open Access can be downloaded for free. For images not available through Open Access, a detail image, or any image with a color bar, request a digital file from Image Services.