Towel
1750–1850
Medium
Cotton, plain weave with supplementary brocading wefts; embroidered with silk and metal-strip-wrapped silk
Dimensions
161.9 × 56.3 cm (63 3/4 × 22 1/4 in.)
Classification
textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
77177
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
During the 17th century, Ottoman artists in Turkey developed a taste for flowers presented in clusters and in profile—a trend also seen in works made by the Safavids, in Iran, and the Mughals, in India. The motif can be traced to the introduction of European herbals, books that illustrated flowers in this fashion. This particularly sumptuous example has a ground fabric, usually plain in Turkish production, which was woven with a subtle and beautiful repeat pattern of diamonds.
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...