Portion of a Loom Length
1850/75
Medium
Silk, twill weave with supplementary warp forming cut velvet; pile warp-resist-dyed (ikat)
Dimensions
128 × 46 cm (48 1/2 × 13 5/8 in.)
Classification
textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
185617
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The production of silk velvet ikat was a specialty of the highly skilled weavers in Bukhara between the late 1860s and about 1910. The luxurious fabric was fashioned into women's robes as dowry items intended for special occasions such as weddings and funerals. The loom length fragment on the left, with a pattern of repeating medallion forms, dates from the early years of production, when natural dyes were still being used. The piece on the right has a rare animal skin pattern of foreign origin,...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...