17th-18th century
Iran
Object qualities
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Objecttextile (towels, carpets, etc.): Fragment
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Type of arts & crafts
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MediumSilk, metal wrapped thread; cut and voided velvet
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SizeTextile: L. 14 5/8 in. (37.2 cm) W. 13 1/2 in. (34.3 cm) Mount: L. 19 1/4 in. (48.9 cm) W. 18 1/2 in. (47 cm)
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Geography detailsAttributed to
Iran -
Country today
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Date17th-18th century
Source of information
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Type of sourceDatabase “Metropolitan Museum of Art”
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Fund that the source refers toMetropolitan Museum of Art
Description
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Seventeenth‑century silk velvets from the Safavid empire were popular commodities in Europe as well as the local market. Contemporary paintings and court chronicles show these rich fabrics as the desired material for clothing among Iranian aristocrats. This square fragment has four repetitions of a floral motif in a palette of blue, beige, and orange and may have lost some of its original bright colors over time.