Turban Cover
1700-1799 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
A turban cover is a lightweight square cloth. It was placed over the turban when it was not in use to protect it from dust and disrespectful treatment. Turbans indicated the rank of the wearer. They were removed like hats and not unwound. The red woollen fez replaced turbans for all except the ulema (clergy) about 1827. From about the 1720s onwards Ottoman embroidery stopped copying woven designs and became a truly creative art form. Designers introduced new, lifelike floral decorations, many of which were very detailed. They allowed some floral decorations to sway and sweep across the fabric. Some were stylised. All decorations were worked in soft colours often enriched with metal thread. The colours of many 18th century embroideries were originally very bright but they have faded to pleasing pastel shades.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Linen, embroidered with silk in double darning on the diagonal over eight threads, double running in a line and satin stitch; made from three pieces joined after being embroidered |
| Brief description | embroidered, 1700-49, Turkish |
| Physical description | Turban cover of linen embroidered with silk in double darning on the diagonal over 8 threads, double running in a line and satin stitch. Made from three pieces joined after being embroidered. The central circle is defined by thin curling leaf-shapes alternating in red and pink. It contains acentral red/pink blossom, two red/pink carnations and two ragged blue flowers. The carnations and ragged flowers are the dominant motifs in the rest of the field where they are interspersed with small yellow flowers, pink and white flowers and green, pink and white rose buds. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | A turban cover is a lightweight square cloth. It was placed over the turban when it was not in use to protect it from dust and disrespectful treatment. Turbans indicated the rank of the wearer. They were removed like hats and not unwound. The red woollen fez replaced turbans for all except the ulema (clergy) about 1827. From about the 1720s onwards Ottoman embroidery stopped copying woven designs and became a truly creative art form. Designers introduced new, lifelike floral decorations, many of which were very detailed. They allowed some floral decorations to sway and sweep across the fabric. Some were stylised. All decorations were worked in soft colours often enriched with metal thread. The colours of many 18th century embroideries were originally very bright but they have faded to pleasing pastel shades. |
| Bibliographic reference | Illustrated in 'Ottoman Embroidery' by Marianne Ellis and Jennifer Wearden (V&A Publications, 2001), plate 38
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | 1016-1898 |
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| Record created | January 16, 2001 |
| Record URL |
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