Loom Width with Floral and Tiger-stripe Design
Unknown Artist
16th century
Medium
Silk, metal wrapped thread; lampas (kemha)
Dimensions
Textile: L. 79 5/8 in. (202.2 cm) W. 26 1/2 in. (67.3 cm) Mount: H. 83 in. (210.8 cm) W. 30 in. (76.2 cm) D. 2 in. (5.1 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Woven
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1944
Accession Number
44.41.3
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite 16th-century loom width textile, featuring a vibrant floral and tiger-stripe design, hails the Islamic world and showcases the pinnacle of luxury weaving. Crafted from silk with metal-wrapped threads in the lampas (kem) technique—a complex method where supplementary wefts create raised, brocaded patterns—the fabric measures an impressive 79 5/8 inches long 26 1/2 inches wide. Acquired through the Rogers Fund in 1944, it now graces the Metropolitan Museum of Art Islamic Art department as a prime example of woven textiles. emha weaving, particularly prized in Ottoman Turkey durin...