Not currently on display at the V&A

Cover

1720-1850 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

From about the 1720s onwards Ottoman embroidery stopped copying woven designs and became a truly creative art form: new, naturalistic floral motifs were introduced and many of them were depicted in great detail. Some were allowed to sway and sweep across the fabric, some were stylised and many were enriched with metal thread. The colours were originally very bright but have often faded to pleasing pastel shades.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Linen, embroidered with silk in double darning on the diagonal, double running in a line and fishbone stitch
Brief description
A linen cover embroidered with silk, Turkey, 18th/early 19th century
Physical description
Cover, linen embroidered with silk in double darning on the diagonal, double running in a line, and fishbone stitch (border).
The cover is decorated with off-set bands each containing two or one and two partial floral motifs: a brown stem which branches and from which hang five large brown/red blossom each containing seven small light pink flowerheads. The stems also bear small blue and pink flowers and green leaves.
Dimensions
  • Cut and hemmed length: 102cm
  • Width: 58.5cm
Original length probably 123 cm.
Style
Credit line
Given by Prof. R. M. Dawkins
Object history
Possibly a mirror cover.
Subject depicted
Summary
From about the 1720s onwards Ottoman embroidery stopped copying woven designs and became a truly creative art form: new, naturalistic floral motifs were introduced and many of them were depicted in great detail. Some were allowed to sway and sweep across the fabric, some were stylised and many were enriched with metal thread. The colours were originally very bright but have often faded to pleasing pastel shades.
Bibliographic reference
Illustrated in 'Ottoman Embroidery' by Marianne Ellis and Jennifer Wearden (V&A Publication, 2001); plate 70
Collection
Accession number
T.424-1950

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Record createdFebruary 28, 2001
Record URL
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