This group of four fragments depicts a courtier holding a wine cup amid cypresses, flowering trees and varied wildlife, a popular theme in Iranian decorative arts. The design features a seamless repeat pattern, elegantly alternating tomato red and ochre yellow for the courtier’s cloak, a design device used by weavers to add variation. The tapered shape of the fragments suggests that the textile was probably once part of a garment. This pictorial composition is similar to manuscript paintings produced during the reign of Shah Tahmasp, and may be inspired by mystical poetry referencing wine and gardens.
