Strip
Unknown Artist
18th century
Medium
Linen; embroidered in silk and silver thread
Dimensions
L. 70 1/2 in. (179.1 cm) W. 13 1/2 in. (34.3 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Embroidered
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Leonard E. Opdycke, 1928
Accession Number
28.109.14
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite embroidered strip, dating to the 18th, hails from the Islamic world and showcases the artistry of an unknown embroiderer. Crafted from fine linen and adorned with silk and shimmering silver threads, the long, narrow panel—measuring over 5 feet in length and about 13 inches wide— served as a decorative border for garments, furnishings, or ceremonial textiles. Its floral motifs, a hallmark of Islamic decorative arts, evoke the lush gardens of paradise, a recurring theme symbolizing beauty, abundance, and spiritual harmony. In the context of 18th-century Islamic textiles, such emb...