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Fragment of an Animal Carpet

late 16th century
Not on view
The theme of fantastic and grotesque animals was popular during the last quarter of sixteenth century in Mughal India. This carpet fragment of woolen pile on cotton warp and weft is one of the rarest types of Mughal carpets. A goat protrudes from the mouth of a lion while overlapping birds reciprocally face each other against a red colored background typical of Mughal carpets. The overall scheme is enigmatic with sparse foliage between the creatures. It seems to have been inspired by the Indian makara-torana an arch in which scrolls issue from the mouth of a hybrid elephant-headed crocodile.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Fragment of an Animal Carpet
  • Date: late 16th century
  • Geography: Attributed to Northern India
  • Medium: Cotton (warp and weft), wool (pile); asymmetrically knotted pile
  • Dimensions: L. 30 11/16 in. (78 cm)
    W. 21 7/16 in. (54.5 cm)
  • Classification: Textiles-Rugs
  • Credit Line: Gift of Joseph V. McMullan, 1971
  • Object Number: 1971.263.3
  • Curatorial Department: Islamic Art

More Artwork

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'Lotto' Carpet, Wool (warp, weft and pile); symmetrically knotted pile
'Lotto' Carpet
16th century
The Emperor's Carpet, Silk (warp and weft), wool (pile); asymmetrically knotted pile
The Emperor's Carpet
second half 16th century
The Anhalt Medallion Carpet, Cotton (warp), silk (weft), wool (pile); asymmetrically knotted pile
The Anhalt Medallion Carpet
probably first half 16th century
Fragment of a Northwest Persian Medallion Carpet, Cotton (warp), wool (weft and pile); asymmetrically knotted pile
Fragment of a Northwest Persian Medallion Carpet
early 16th century
Fragment of a Cornice with a Frieze of Masks, Sandstone
Fragment of a Cornice with a Frieze of Masks
15th–early 16th century

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