Textile Fragment
Unknown Artist
9th century
Medium
Linen and wool; tapestry-woven
Dimensions
H. 16 1/4 in. (41.3 cm) W. 4 3/4 in. (12.1 cm) Mount: H. 22 in. (55.9 cm) W. 16 in. (40.6 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Woven
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1974
Accession Number
1974.113.3
Art Historical Context
Step into the rich tapestry of 9th-century Islamic art with this delicate *Textile Fragment*, a survivor from the early Abbasid era. Crafted from linen and wool using the tapestry-weave technique, this narrow strip—measuring just 16¼ by 4¾ inches—hints at the luxurious textiles that adorned garments, furnishings, and trade goods across the Islamic world. Likely produced in Egypt or the eastern Mediterranean, such fragments offer rare glimpses into a thriving textile industry that blended functionality with artistry. The tapestry-weaving method, where colored weft yarns are woven discontinuous...