Fragment of a Carpet with Niche and Flower Design

Unknown

1630–40 · Silk (warp and weft), pashmina wool (pile); asymmetrically knotted pile · Islamic Art

This fragment was part of a carpet that had a pointed arch (a portion of the supporting column is seen at left) with a single flowering plant at the center. This is considered one of the finest examples of carpet weaving because of its extremely sensitive drawing and extraordinarily high knot count—2,552 knots per square inch.

Artist

Unknown

Date

1630–40

Medium

Silk (warp and weft), pashmina wool (pile); asymmetrically knotted pile

Department

Islamic Art

Credit line

Bequest of Benjamin Altman, 1913