Floral Textile Fragment

Unknown

early 17th century · Silk, metal wrapped thread; lampas? · Islamic Art

This silk textile is decorated with a repeated pattern of floral bouquets tied with pink ribbons on a pink-lavender ground. Safavid textiles produced during the seventeenth century were popular commodities in both international and local markets, and often depicted flower motifs like those seen here. Weavers favored luxurious materials like silk and metal-wrapped thread because of their rich sheen and the sumptuousness the opulent materials lent to the finished textile. The apricot orange and light purple suggest a preference for a soft color palette, and the skillfully rendered veins in the irises indicate an interest in naturalism.

Artist

Unknown

Date

early 17th century

Medium

Silk, metal wrapped thread; lampas?

Department

Islamic Art

Credit line

Fletcher Fund, 1946