Textile Fragment with Horses
Unknown Artist
7th–9th century
Medium
Wool, cotton; taqueté
Dimensions
Textile: H. 13 1/2 in. (34.3 cm) W. 8 1/2in. (21.6cm) Mount: H. 17 5/8 in. (44.8 cm) W. 11 7/8 in. (30.2 cm) D. 1 1/4 in. (3.2 cm)
Classification
Textiles
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1948
Accession Number
48.43
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Textile Fragment with Horses*, dating to the 7th–9th century, offers a glimpse into the vibrant of early Islamic textile production. Likely woven in Egypt or the Near East during the formative centuries of Islam, this small wool and cotton piece (13½ × 8½ in.) features dynamic horse motifs, a popular symbol of speed, nobility, and power in the region's art. Such fragments, preserved through the Rogers Fund at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, survive from garments, hangings, or tents, highlighting textiles' role as luxury goods traded across empires. The fragment's standout feat...