ticketsMember | Make a donation

The Anhalt Medallion Carpet

probably first half 16th century
Not on view
The excellent condition and unusual colors of this carpet make it a unique example of carpet production during the Safavid period in Iran. The yellow field, rarely seen in carpets of this type, renders it an unusual variation of a classic design. The central medallion, scrolling vines (arabesque), and peacocks in the field are all common features of Safavid carpets. The arabesque designs have parallels in sixteenth-century Persian tile revetments, while the central medallion design is similar to contemporary book covers, suggesting that the same court workshop created designs for manuscripts, carpets, and architectural ornamentation.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: The Anhalt Medallion Carpet
  • Date: probably first half 16th century
  • Geography: Attributed to Iran
  • Medium: Cotton (warp), silk (weft), wool (pile); asymmetrically knotted pile
  • Dimensions: Rug:
    H. 312 in. (792.5 cm)
    W. 165 in. (419.1 cm)
    Wt. on 8" tube - 184 lbs. (83.5 kg)
  • Classification: Textiles-Rugs
  • Credit Line: Gift of Samuel H. Kress Foundation, 1946
  • Object Number: 46.128
  • Curatorial Department: Islamic Art

Audio

Cover Image for 6665. The Anhalt Medallion Carpet

6665. The Anhalt Medallion Carpet

0:00
0:00
We're sorry, the transcript for this audio track is not available at this time. Please email info@metmuseum.org to request a transcript for this track.

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
The Emperor's Carpet, Silk (warp and weft), wool (pile); asymmetrically knotted pile
The Emperor's Carpet
second half 16th century
'Lotto' Carpet, Wool (warp, weft and pile); symmetrically knotted pile
'Lotto' Carpet
16th century
Silk Kashan Carpet, Silk (warp, weft and pile); asymmetrically knotted pile
Silk Kashan Carpet
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
Carpet, Silk (warp and weft), wool (pile); asymmetrically knotted pile
Carpet
16th century

Related Content

Perspectives

Articles, audio, and video from The Met's online magazine.

Timeline of Art History

Entries from The Met's art encyclopedia.

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.