Textile Fragment

Unknown

14th–15th century · Cotton, plain weave; block-printed, mordant dyed · Islamic Art

This block-printed, cotton textile fragment features a repeated stylized tendril pattern on a radiant brown-red background. The textile’s block-printed technique is revealed which can be seen from the vertical lines which divide the fragment into three sections. Dated to the fourteenth to fifteenth century, this fragment’s vibrancy of dye alludes to the demand and way in which Gujarati textiles were recognized as popular commodities traded across the Indian Ocean. Found in Fustat, Egypt (Old Cairo), this textile sheds light on the maritime trade of textiles between North Africa and Western India during this period.

Artist

Unknown

Date

14th–15th century

Medium

Cotton, plain weave; block-printed, mordant dyed

Department

Islamic Art

Credit line

Purchase, V. Everit Macy Gift, 1930