A linen hanging fragment embroidered with silk, Turkey, 16th century

Hanging, part of the right hand panel, linen embroidered with silk in regular surface darning over 5 threads, double running in a line (now worn) and chain stitch (border).
The border design is a meander, blue and green in sections, which links red pomegranates containing a sprig of three flowers in reserve, alternating with a six-lobed medallion containing similar flowers in reserve. There are also blue leaves, small blue flowers and small yellow flowers.
The field is divided into large compartments by a lattice formed by a fine blue stem with an irregular arrangements of small red flowers, green leaves, blue flowers and leaves and larger yellow pomegranates containing a floral pattern in reserve.
Within each compartment is a irregular red medallion with an internal pattern in reserve: a smaller medallion in the centre containing three floral sprigs and around it, a pair of floral branches joined at the bottom.
There are three partial medallions on this textile.

The oldest Ottoman embroideries in the V&A date from the 16th or 17th centuries. They are either whole covers and wall hangings or fragments of them. They are decorated with large-scale, bold designs in red, blue, green and yellow, with some white and black. The oldest patterns, such as this, are formed by the curving lines of a lattice. They enclose spaces filled with floral decoration.

T.233-1918