"Textiles have been fundamental to man's existence for millennia. Local fibers were manipulated...and transformed into fabrics that protected people from the scorching sun and freezing cold...While plain fabrics abounded everywhere, luxury textiles introduced color and design in the artistic styles of wealthy dynasties, supplying sultans and princely courts with majestic splendor and conspicuous symbols of power and wealth" (Mackey, 2015 intro)
There are many reasons to select the following textiles as part of the exhibition. One is pure and simple: their beauty; as explained in the silk manufacture section (add link to manufacture), these are pieces of highest artistic and technical merit. They were considered very valuable, and even traded for their weight in gold. They were a very important source of income for the Safavid Empire (add link to hist and cult). In high demand by elites both within and outside the Safavid Empire (add link to why), theses textiles were traded both internally as well as exported exported to various regions of Europe and the Middle East (add link to how).
NEP-6
This exhibition presents a selection of Safavid silk textiles. All are luxury items; but within that category, we present a further subdivision. Only textiles that are in good condition allow us to experience the sumptous splendor that Safavid textiles originally had.
NEP-6 detail of reverse
NEP-6 detail reverse close up
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The exquisite NEP-6 textile, presented above, is the most reproduced Safavid silk in the Penn Museum collection. It has been part of several exhibitions and publications.
The cloth shows a repeat pattern of a floral buquet and butterfly design in cut velvet on a ground of gold. Brocade velvets were the most sumptuous textiles manufactured by the Safavids. "Their lush surfaces were ususally enriched with opulent gilt metal thread" (Mackey, 2015). The textile was woven on a drawloom, which allowed for the introduction of periodic patterns. The background threads are twisted and wrapped with gilded silver. The colors were created with two or three piled wrapped colors; additional colors could be inserted. The images on the left show the reverse of the textile, and allow us to see how color of the pattern was introduced. We can also see that the metal thread was not woven through, but remained on the top surface. Materials include silk, satin and velvet, technique is brocade. Length: 134cm, Width 71.5cm. Purchased from H. Kevorkian in 1922 |
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The textile whose image is presented to the right (NEP-60)was made with a similar technique. To enliven textiles, multiple patterns of design were used. Here the design consists of alternating silver and gold stripes bearing floral sprays and birds separated by narrow blue bands bearing floral patterns.
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NEP-60
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NEP-7
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NEP-125
The silk textiles shown to the left and above are also luxury items but somewhat less elaborate than NEP-6 and NEP-60.
The threads are wrapped in metal. On a taupe ground a serpentine pattern in red, white, green and gold has been added. Materials include silk and brocade. NEP-125 is a fine silk thread textile. On a taupe background a pattern has been woven with salmon flowers and green silver leaves with gold stripes. Flowers are a common motif within the Safavid textiles. |
Sources
Symbols of Power: Luxury Textiles from Islamic Lands, 7th -21st Century
Mackie, Louise. New Haven: Yale, 2015.
Penn museum catalog id form and information
Symbols of Power: Luxury Textiles from Islamic Lands, 7th -21st Century
Mackie, Louise. New Haven: Yale, 2015.
Penn museum catalog id form and information
