Scarf
1844-1845 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Scarf, plain weave silk embroidered with coloured silks in straight stitches, including stem stitch, trimmed with a silk cord and tassels.
Black ground with a simple outer embroidered border composed of 'W' and 'I' motifs in red silk. In the centre, a flamed circle moving anti-clockwise in various colours enclosing 8 fish motifs pointing to the central rosette. Around this flamed circle are eleven 2-legged horned animals (or plumed birds?) predominantly in yellow, red, white, orange, light blue or light green. This is followed by a circle of calligraphy and then four peacocks with full trains and, in between, a stylized cypress tree with a bird either side. A short inscription in red or white completes the piece. A silk cord has been sewn around the edges and there are the remains of a tassel in each corner. The date and the maker's name are included in the inscriptions.
Black ground with a simple outer embroidered border composed of 'W' and 'I' motifs in red silk. In the centre, a flamed circle moving anti-clockwise in various colours enclosing 8 fish motifs pointing to the central rosette. Around this flamed circle are eleven 2-legged horned animals (or plumed birds?) predominantly in yellow, red, white, orange, light blue or light green. This is followed by a circle of calligraphy and then four peacocks with full trains and, in between, a stylized cypress tree with a bird either side. A short inscription in red or white completes the piece. A silk cord has been sewn around the edges and there are the remains of a tassel in each corner. The date and the maker's name are included in the inscriptions.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | silk embroidered with silk |
| Brief description | Middle East, Textile; Scarf or lachak, black silk with silk embroidery, centrifugal design of roundels, trees, fish and birds, with Persian inscriptions, signed Aga Ahmad at the workshop of Fakhr al-Din, possibly Yazd, Qajar Iran, dated 1260H, 1844-1845 |
| Physical description | Scarf, plain weave silk embroidered with coloured silks in straight stitches, including stem stitch, trimmed with a silk cord and tassels. Black ground with a simple outer embroidered border composed of 'W' and 'I' motifs in red silk. In the centre, a flamed circle moving anti-clockwise in various colours enclosing 8 fish motifs pointing to the central rosette. Around this flamed circle are eleven 2-legged horned animals (or plumed birds?) predominantly in yellow, red, white, orange, light blue or light green. This is followed by a circle of calligraphy and then four peacocks with full trains and, in between, a stylized cypress tree with a bird either side. A short inscription in red or white completes the piece. A silk cord has been sewn around the edges and there are the remains of a tassel in each corner. The date and the maker's name are included in the inscriptions. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Marks and inscriptions | 'In the name of God. My cherished sweetheart, I saw her on the grass as she was picking flowers. The flower's thorn injured the hand of that fair-faced [person] and she kept on laughing. If God wills, she may be pleased.'
The inscription also says that this is the work of the Fahr al-din factory and the work of the [embroideress] Farrangiss. (Embroidered.) |
| Production | Zoroastrian |
| Bibliographic reference | Illustrated in 'Iranian Textiles' by Jennifer Wearden and Patricia L Baker, V&A Publishing, 2010 fig. 21 page 39. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.376-1950 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | August 6, 2008 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
