Fragment of a lampas-woven textile, silk and metal lamella spun around a silk core
Turkey; 2nd half of 16th century

Davids Samling/The David Collection, Copenhagen
H: 48, W: 58 cm
This little fragment has quite an unusual design. Bouquets consisting of a plant that resembles peacock feathers, carnations, blue tulips, and bindweed-like flowers emerge from circular sun or flower medallions. They, in turn, are linked by elegant, pointed split-leaf palmettes (rumi). The blue, green, red, and brown tones are seen against a golden background (silver lamella spun around a yellow silk core).

The pattern is so unusual, is of such high artistic quality, and contains so much metal thread that it could have been made in one of the workshops associated directly with the court in Istanbul. In 1557, for example, 156 weavers were employed in the palace studio, 16 of them textile designers.

Inv. no. 34/1987