Woven Silk
1100-1150 (made)
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Rectangular fragment of red, cream and blue silk compound twill, depicting confronted peacocks and unicorns around a central palm tree, Arabic inscriptions in beaded cartouches at top and bottom
Object details
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| Materials and techniques | Silk, weft-faced compound twill. Dye samples of this textile were analysed as part of the project “Caracterización de las producciones textiles de la Antigüedad Tardía y Edad Media temprana: tejidos coptos, sasánidas, bizantinos e hispanomusulmanes en las colecciones públicas españolas” (“Characterization of Late Antique and Early Medieval textile production: Coptic, Sasanian, Byzantine and Spanish Muslim textiles in Spanish national collections”) (HAR2008-04161) directed by Dr Laura Rodríguez Peinado, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Dpt. de Historia del Arte I (Medieval). Analysis was conducted by Enrique Parra at the Alfonso X El Sabio University, Madrid. The dyes were analysed through high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), extracting threads with a thickness varying between 5 and 1mm by means of 100 µL of methanol/hydrochloric acid/water 1:2:1.
The results for this textile were as follows:
Light blue - Indigo
Dark blue - Indigo
Cream coloured - not detected |
| Brief description | Middle East, Textile. Silk lampas with a geometric pattern, south-east Spain (perhaps Granada), 1300-1400. |
| Physical description | Rectangular fragment of red, cream and blue silk compound twill, depicting confronted peacocks and unicorns around a central palm tree, Arabic inscriptions in beaded cartouches at top and bottom |
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| Object history | Purchased from Monsieur Stanlislas Baron in 1894 for £ 46.13.9. A fragmentary cope said to have belonged to Robert of Anjou (d.1343) now in the Church of St. Sernin, Toulouse, is of the same material. Acquired as part of a collection of textile fragments, from M. Stanislas Baron, for the price of 800 francs. A portion of the collection was purchased by the Manchester School of Art. Neg. 34744. |
| Historical context | A length of similar cloth is now in Paris (C L 12869) which was found in a 1258 context in the Church of St Sernin, Toulouse. The inscription belwo the peacock froms reads 'Perfect blessings' (Patricia Baker: Islamic Textiles, 1995:43) Samples of coloured threads from this object have been taken and are being analysed as part of a collaboration between the V&A and the Spanish Research project "Caracterización de als producciones textiles de la Antigüedad Tardía y Edad Media temprana: tejidos coptos, sasánidas, bizantinos e hispanomusulmanes en las colecciones públicas españolas" ("Characterization of Late Antique and Early Medieval textile production: Coptic, Sasanian, Byzantine and Spanish Muslim textiles in Spanish national collections") (HAR2008-04161) directed by Dr Laura Rodríguez Peinado, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Dpt. de Historia del Arte I (Medieval). |
| Production | A fragmentary cope said to have belonged to Robert of Anjou (d.1343) now in the Church of St. Sernin, Toulouse, is of the same material. |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | 828-1894 |
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| Record created | October 24, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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