Textile Fragment
Unknown Artist
ca. 1570–80
Medium
Silk, metal wrapped thread; lampas (kemha)
Dimensions
Textile: L. 123 1/2 in. (313.7 cm) W. 26 1/2 in. (67.3 cm) Tube: Diam. 2 1/2 in. (6.4 cm) W. 38 1/2 in. (97.8 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Woven
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1944
Accession Number
44.41.2
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Textile Fragment* from 1570–80 hails from the Islamic world, likely the Ottoman Empire at the peak of its artistic splendor under sultans like Selim II. Acquired by The Metropolitan Museum of Art through Rogers Fund in 194, this woven silk piece exemplifies the opulence of 16th-century courtly textiles. Measuring an impressive 123½ inches long and 26½ inches wide, with a tubular section suggesting it may have formed part of a garment skirt, cushion cover, or ceremonial hanging, it reflects the era's mastery in creating lavish fabrics for elite patrons. Crafted in the lampas (k...