Textile with Lotus and Arabesque Design

Unknown

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

This cotton, block-printed textile employs both Indian and Chinese ornamental motifs. Looking closely at Yuan period (ca. 1271–1368) silks, this textile emulates frontal facing lotus flowers seen in its center. The border of the textile fragment which include square-and-star patterning reflects Gujarati designs seen in tie-dye textiles (known as bandani.) The wavy lotus pattern was often used on Chinese storage jars found in Iran and therefore reflect the transregional dissemination of designs across geographies, especially during the fifteenth century. This textile fragment is one of a larger group of objects which were made in Gujarat, India, but found in Fustat, Egypt (known as Old Cairo.) It represents the intercontinental market and demand for vibrantly dyed and intricately block-printed Gujarati textiles that traveled across the Indian Ocean.

Artist

Unknown

Date

15th century

Medium

Cotton, plain weave; block-printed, mordant dyed

Department

Islamic Art

Credit line

Purchase, V. Everit Macy Gift, 1930