This decorative panel was made on the Greek Island of Skyros, one of the Northern Sporades. An identical panel is in the collection of the Benaki Museum, Athens. This suggests that they were made as a pair of pillow covers, but they may also have been matching corners of a bedsheet that was later cut down.

Skyros had been under the control of Venice from the mid 15th century, but became Turkish territory in 1538. The designs of Skyros embrodieries were heavily influenced by the floral style of Turkish ceramics like those from Isnik, and included many birds, ships and human figures, particularly men in Turkish dress, which during the 18th century became the normal male dress in the Aegean Islands. Although this horseman is brandishing two swords, and wears a third at his waist, he he is presented as if parading his martial skills, rather than engaging in battle.