Velvet Fragment with Bird and Flower Design
Unknown Artist
second half 16th century
Medium
Silk; cut and voided velvet, with continuous floats of flat metal thread
Dimensions
Textile: H. 21 7/16 in. (54.5 cm) W. 13 3/8 in. (33.9 cm) Mount: H. 26 1/2 in. (67.3 cm) W. 18 in. (45.7 cm) D. 1 in. (2.5 cm)
Classification
Textiles
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Fletcher Fund, 1972
Accession Number
1972.26
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite velvet fragment, hailing from the second half of the 16th, showcases the pinnacle of Islamic textile artistry. Woven from silk using the sophisticated cut and voided velvet technique, areas of the pile are meticulously cut away to reveal intricate patterns, while continuous floats of flat metal thread a shimmering, luxurious glow. Measuring about 21 by 13 inches, it features delicate motifs of birds amid blooming flowers—timeless symbols in Islamic art evoking paradise gardens and natural harmony. Produced during a golden age of Ottoman or Safavid textile production, such velve...