Embroidered quilt with pomegranates and tulips

About this artwork

In Turkey, embroidered motifs were often adapted from Ottoman court art, especially luxury silks. Even the same six colors of silk thread were used: crimson or red, blue, green, and brown/black, plus yellow and white that replaced costly gilt- and silver-metal thread. In a typically bold style, pomegranates are framed by serrated leaves. Most of the original dark brown silk thread of the floral stems has disintegrated, revealing black ink outlines on the linen ground.