Mamluk Carpet
Mamluk style carpets figured significantly in Mediterranean commerce and appear in Venetian paintings as early as the sixteenth century. They are characterized by a central medallion surrounded by a variety of smaller geometric motifs, forming a kaleidoscopic appearance. The palette is limited to red, blue, green, and yellow tones. Documents first refer to Cairo as a center of carpet weaving in the last quarter of the fifteenth century, and production continued until the mid-sixteenth century, shortly after the 1517 Ottoman conquest of Egypt.
Artwork Details
- Title: Mamluk Carpet
- Date: early 16th century
- Geography: Attributed to probably Egypt, probably Cairo
- Medium: Wool, (warp, weft and pile); asymmetrically knotted pile
- Dimensions: Rug: H. 84 in. (213.4 cm)
W. 105 in. (266.7 cm) - Classification: Textiles-Rugs
- Credit Line: The James F. Ballard Collection, Gift of James F. Ballard, 1922
- Object Number: 22.100.52
- Curatorial Department: Islamic Art
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
ca. 1500
last quarter 16th century
late 16th century
16th century
late 15th–early 16th century
Related Content
Publications
Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.
Free to download
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.