Author
Unknown Unknown (designed and made by)
Publication Date
1800
Publication Place
Iran (made) -
Subject
Diamond Motif
Type
Other
Language
Undetermined
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Physical Dimensions
Length: 157cm, Selvedge to selvedge width: 60cm, Length: 60.5in, Width: 23.5in
Library
Victoria and Albert Museum
Library Asset ID
T.369-1995
Record ID
T.369-1995
Library Location
Middle East Section
Date
1800
Notes
Prayer mat or hanging, plain weave cotton with whitework silk embroidery, Iran, 1800-1899.
Malzemeler ve teknikler
Plain weave cotton with whitework silk embroidery Cotton (Textile) Silk Thread Plain Weave Whitework
Fiziksel açıklama
Plain weave cotton embroidered with silk in straight stitches, needleweaving and pulled thread work; whitework Described with the Museum Number in the lower left hand corner. There are two raw edges. The straight stitches and long and loose. The various elements of the design are not always symmetrical. There is a wide composite border on all 4 sides: from the outside, narrow band with small lozenges in straight stitch either side of a band of needleweaving. A wide band divided into pointed cartouches with a pulled thread ground of small holes on a grid pattern separated by X-shaped segments of embroidered straight stitches, predominantly diamonds made of 2 large triangles but at the ends of the long borders are segments of stepped diamonds. A repeat of the embroidered bands and needleweaving follows. In the middle of the narrow borders is a pulled thread hexagon instead of a cartouche. The field is divided into four openwork sections: a diamond with two long sides and an ordinary diamond, a repeat of both. The pattern has small holes on a grid system. There are three embroidered stars in the lowest diamond, one in the next, two in the one above, and 1 in the top diamond. The rest of the ground is worked in lines of diamonds formed by 2 large triangles. At the top these form a pointed arch with spandrels in pulled thread work - hence the suggestion that it could be a prayer mat or a hanging. Cotton thread: Z-spun Embroidery Thread: white silk; 2S Although this Museum Number was assigned in 1995, this piece was probably acquired and originally numbered in the 19th century. It has a parchment label on which the new number has been written. I think the original number had worn off, could not be identified from existing records and the piece was therefore 'acquired' as an untraced find.
