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 and metal thread in double darning on the diagonal, double running in a line and padded satin stitch, and with metal thread in double darning on the diagonal; made from two pieces joined before being embroidered |
| Brief description | A turban cover of linen embroidered with silk and metal thread, Turkey, 18th century |
| Physical description | Turban Cover, linen embroidered with silk in double darning on the diagonal, double running in a line and padded satin stitch, and with metal thread in double darning on the diagonal. In the central is a roundel formed by joined blue trefoils. In the centre is a ragged flower worked in metal thread and four inward-pointing double sprays of cherry blossom with a single blue ragged flower. Between these sprays is one small cherry blossom. There is a larger spray of cherry blossom and blue flowers (with small red leaves) in each corner and one in the middle of each side; around the central roundel and scattered on the field are small, stylised motifs in metal thread. There is a simple blue line forming a border. Two pieces joined before being embroidered. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Credit line | Given by Queen Mary |
| 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 Publication, 2001), plate 41
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.33-1926 |
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| Record created | February 1, 2001 |
| Record URL |
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