Velvet Fragment with Design from Nizami of Ganja's Khusrau and Shirin
Unknown Artist
16th century
Medium
Silk; cut velvet
Dimensions
Textile: L. 15 3/8 in. (39 cm) W. 6 1/2 in. (16.5 cm) Mount: L. 20 in. (50.8 cm) W. 11 1/2 in. (29.2 cm) D. 3/4 in. (1.9 cm) Wt. 4 lbs. (1.8 kg)
Classification
Textiles
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, The Seley Foundation Inc., Schimmel Foundation Inc., Ruth Blumka and Charles D. Kelekian Gifts, and Rogers Fund, 1978
Accession Number
1978.60
Tags
Art Historical Context
This stunning 16th-century silk fragment captures a vivid scene from the Persian poet Nizami of Ganja's beloved epic *Khusrau and Shirin*, part his *Khamsa* collection of romantic tales. depicting a bathing episode with graceful female nudes and horses—iconic motifs in the story—the textile brings to life the chivalric love between Prince Khusrau Princess Shirin, blending sensuality, adventure, and courtly drama captivated Islamic audiences for centuries. Crafted using the labor-intensive cut velvet technique, where the silk pile is precisely sheared to form intricate patterns against a voide...