Tickets
English
DonateMembershipTickets

Textile fragment with cloud palmettes and characters of longevity (Shou)

14th century
Not on view
Trade or diplomacy must have played a role in the life of textiles such as this example (now darkened but originally blue), which, according to records, was found in Egypt. The palmette pattern originated in Central Asia and the eastern Iranian world. Here, it also features a Chinese cloud border and flawlessly rendered versions of the Chinese character for longevity (shou) in the center of and atop each one. Longevity damasks like this piece must have been present in other regions, too, as they probably inspired the designs of some of the rare surviving late thirteenth- to early fourteenth-century carpets of Konya, Turkey.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Textile fragment with cloud palmettes and characters of longevity (Shou)
  • Period: Yuan dynasty (1271–1368)
  • Date: 14th century
  • Culture: China
  • Medium: Silk satin damask
  • Dimensions: 11 × 8 3/8 in. (27.9 × 21.3 cm)
    Mount: 15 × 12 × 1 3/8 in. (38.1 × 30.5 × 3.5 cm)
  • Classification: Textiles-Woven
  • Credit Line: Fletcher Fund, 1946
  • Object Number: 46.156.20
  • Curatorial Department: Asian Art

More Artwork

More Artwork
Dung-Chen, Brass, copper, cloisonné, Chinese
Dung-Chen
Chinese
1368–1644
Fragment of a collar with dragon and phoenix, Silk damask satin brocaded with silk and metal thread, China
Fragment of a collar with dragon and phoenix
China
16th century
Dung Chen, Cloisonne brass, Chinese
Dung Chen
Chinese
1368–1644
Textile fragment with clouds, Silk satin damask, China
Textile fragment with clouds
China
18th century
Pair of Stirrups, Iron, gold, wood, Chinese
Pair of Stirrups
Chinese
1368–1644

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 contact us using the form below. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.

Send feedback

Content Notice

The Metropolitan Museum of Art presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world, and our online collection reflects ongoing work conducted over the course of our more than 150-year history. You may encounter objects or images that may be inappropriate for some viewers or information that may be outdated.