Loom Width of Silk Velvet with 'Pinecone' Pattern

Unknown

16th century · Silk, metal wrapped thread; cut and voided velvet, brocaded · Islamic Art

With its bold, contrasting pattern of pinecone or artichoke forms, striking deep red and gold palette, and costly combination of silk and gilded metal‑wrapped thread, this luxurious textile exemplifies the high‑quality velvets produced for the Ottoman court. Referred to as çatma, such fabrics are woven using a method akin to that employed for looped cotton bath towels. Here, however, the raw material is the finest silk, and its many rows of tiny loops have been cut to form a sumptuous velvet pile.

Artist

Unknown

Date

16th century

Medium

Silk, metal wrapped thread; cut and voided velvet, brocaded

Department

Islamic Art

Credit line

Theodore M. Davis Collection, Bequest of Theodore M. Davis, 1915