Carpet

Unknown

late 15th–early 16th century · Wool (warp, weft and pile); asymmetrically knotted pile · Islamic Art

Documents first refer to Cairo as a carpet‑weaving center in the last quarter of the fifteenth century. Carpets of this type figured significantly in Mediterranean commerce and appear in Venetian paintings as early as the sixteenth century. They are characterized by kaleidoscopic profusion of tiny motifs and a limited color range, resulting in an iridescent effect. Production of these so‑called Mamluk carpets continued until the mid-sixteenth century, after the 1517 Ottoman conquest of Egypt.

Artist

Unknown

Date

late 15th–early 16th century

Medium

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

Department

Islamic Art

Credit line

Bequest of George Blumenthal, 1941