Mamluk Carpet

Unknown

early 16th century · Wool, (warp, weft and pile); asymmetrically knotted pile · Islamic Art

Mamluk style carpets figured significantly in Mediterranean commerce and appear in Venetian paintings as early as the sixteenth century. They are characterized by a central medallion surrounded by a variety of smaller geometric motifs, forming a kaleidoscopic appearance. The palette is limited to red, blue, green, and yellow tones. Documents first refer to Cairo as a center of carpet weaving in the last quarter of the fifteenth century, and production continued until the mid-sixteenth century, shortly after the 1517 Ottoman conquest of Egypt.

Artist

Unknown

Date

early 16th century

Medium

Wool, (warp, weft and pile); asymmetrically knotted pile

Department

Islamic Art

Credit line

The James F. Ballard Collection, Gift of James F. Ballard, 1922