Prayer Mat thumbnail 1
Not on display

Prayer Mat

1800-1880 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Plain weave cotton embroidered with silk in straight stitches and pulled thread work; whitework; backed with block printed plain weave cotton and faced with woollen twill.
The outermost border has a 4-petalled flowerhead in profile. There is a composite border: reciprocal triangles, an embroidered border of V-shaped lines, some forming diamonds, a repeat of the reciprocal triangles [this combination = a]. The main border has embroidered stepped triangles forming star-like lozenges within a lattice. There is a square in each corner containing an outward pointing stylized floral sprig - each one is slightly different. Borders [a] are repeated. The central panel contains a pointed arch formed by a line of embroidered stepped triangles between lines of pulled thread work. The spandrels contain a square grid of stepped triangles. The inside edge of the arched panel is edged with reciprocal diamond -heads. There is a smaller arch within and the space between the two contains isolated rigid floral stems and stepped lozenges. The inner arch-shape is divided into two sections: the lower one contains a V-shaped embroidered band, a lozenge, 2 floral sprigs and an embroidered roundel in the lower right with an embroidered square in the lower left. The upper section contains floral stems and isolated motifs, a stylized comb and rosary and an embroidered roundel.
Cotton thread: Z-spun
Embroidery Thread: white silk; 2S
Backing: white cotton ground with a printed pattern of small floral sprigs and undulating stems with tiny flowers which together create a lattice. The diamond shaped spaces contain six variations of a floral spray of three flowers. The colours are red, light blue, purple, green. The width of the printed fabric runs the length of the embroidered panel.
Facing: bias cut; woven stripes in woollen twill: red stripe with a boteh or flower, white stripe with a meander, dark blue stripe with red flower, wider white stripe and wider yellow stripe both with a floral pattern.

Object details

Category
Object type
Materials and techniques
cotton yarn, silk thread, woollen yarn, weaving, embroidering, whitework, printing, sewing
Brief description
A cotton and silk prayer mat. Iran, 19th century
Physical description
Plain weave cotton embroidered with silk in straight stitches and pulled thread work; whitework; backed with block printed plain weave cotton and faced with woollen twill.
The outermost border has a 4-petalled flowerhead in profile. There is a composite border: reciprocal triangles, an embroidered border of V-shaped lines, some forming diamonds, a repeat of the reciprocal triangles [this combination = a]. The main border has embroidered stepped triangles forming star-like lozenges within a lattice. There is a square in each corner containing an outward pointing stylized floral sprig - each one is slightly different. Borders [a] are repeated. The central panel contains a pointed arch formed by a line of embroidered stepped triangles between lines of pulled thread work. The spandrels contain a square grid of stepped triangles. The inside edge of the arched panel is edged with reciprocal diamond -heads. There is a smaller arch within and the space between the two contains isolated rigid floral stems and stepped lozenges. The inner arch-shape is divided into two sections: the lower one contains a V-shaped embroidered band, a lozenge, 2 floral sprigs and an embroidered roundel in the lower right with an embroidered square in the lower left. The upper section contains floral stems and isolated motifs, a stylized comb and rosary and an embroidered roundel.
Cotton thread: Z-spun
Embroidery Thread: white silk; 2S
Backing: white cotton ground with a printed pattern of small floral sprigs and undulating stems with tiny flowers which together create a lattice. The diamond shaped spaces contain six variations of a floral spray of three flowers. The colours are red, light blue, purple, green. The width of the printed fabric runs the length of the embroidered panel.
Facing: bias cut; woven stripes in woollen twill: red stripe with a boteh or flower, white stripe with a meander, dark blue stripe with red flower, wider white stripe and wider yellow stripe both with a floral pattern.
Dimensions
  • Length: 81cm
  • Width: 53cm
Collection
Accession number
CIRC.767-1912

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Record createdJuly 15, 2008
Record URL
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