ticketsMember | Make a donation

Textile Fragment

ca. 1540
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 455
This fragment from a royal tent, produced during the reign of the Safavid ruler Shah Tahmasp, displays qualities typical of textiles from this period. Densely woven silk threads form the warp and weft of cut and voided velvet, and supplementary metal threads create a shimmering effect. The central peony of the design is surrounded by ogival palmettes, spotted ribbons, lotus flowers, tulips, and rosettes. Owned by the Sangusko family of Poland until 1920, this and other fragments from the tent may have been brought to Eastern Europe in 1683, following the defeat of Ottoman troops in the Battle of Vienna.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Textile Fragment
  • Date: ca. 1540
  • Geography: Attributed to Iran
  • Medium: Silk; cut and voided velvet with continuous floats of flat metal thread
  • Dimensions: Textile: L. 40 in. (101.6 cm)
    W. 17 in. (43.2 cm)
    Mount: H. 45 in. (114.3 cm)
    W. 22 1/2 in. (57.2 cm)
    D. 3/4 in. (1.9 cm)
  • Classification: Textiles
  • Credit Line: Gift of V. Everit Macy, 1927
  • Object Number: 27.51.2
  • Curatorial Department: Islamic Art

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Textile Fragment, Silk; cut and voided velvet with continuous floats of flat metal thread
Textile Fragment
ca. 1540
The Emperor's Carpet, Silk (warp and weft), wool (pile); asymmetrically knotted pile
The Emperor's Carpet
second half 16th century
Kitab suwar al-kawakib al-thabita (Book of the Images of the Fixed Stars) of al-Sufi, `Abd al-Rahman al-Sufi Iranian, Ink and gold on paper; leather binding
Kitab suwar al-kawakib al-thabita (Book of the Images of the Fixed Stars) of al-Sufi
`Abd al-Rahman al-Sufi
late 15th century
Velvet with Figural Imagery, Silk, metal wrapped thread; cut and voided velvet
Velvet with Figural Imagery
mid-16th century
"The Feast of Sada", Folio 22v from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp, Abu'l Qasim Firdausi Iranian, Opaque watercolor, ink, silver, and gold on paper
"The Feast of Sada", Folio 22v from the Shahnama (Book of Kings) of Shah Tahmasp
Abu'l Qasim Firdausi
Sultan Muhammad
ca. 1525

Related Content

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.