Carpet Fragment thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Islamic Middle East, Room 42, The Jameel Gallery

This object consists of 3 parts, some of which may be located elsewhere.

Carpet Fragment

ca. 1500 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The pattern on this carpet fragment shows how some designs filled the field with small-scale repeat patterns. This example has rows of octagons of different sizes, rings of knotwork, and arabesques. Patterns of this type appear in Iranian paintings of the early 15th century, and in European paintings from the mid 15th century.

Pile carpets are one of many types of floor covering used in the Middle East. They are the most familiar to western Europeans as they have been imported from Turkey since at least the mid 15th century. Examples appear in Italian Renaissance paintings and are also depicted by north European artists such as Hans Holbein. Certain carpet designs became known in Europe by the names of the artists who painted them, including Holbein and Lorenzo Lotto.


Object details

Category
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 3 parts.

  • Carpet Fragment
  • Carpet
  • Carpet
Materials and techniques
Hand-knotted woollen pile on woollen warp and weft
Brief description
Fragments of a carpet with interlace design, Turkey (probably Usak), about 1500.
Physical description
Carpet fragments, hand-knotted woollen pile on woollen warp and weft; Turkish; 16th century.
Small pattern Holbein design.
Warp: white wool; Z2S; 16 thread per inch/58-62 per dm
Weft: red wool; Z-spun, unplied; 2 shoots after each row of knots; 9-11 shoots per inch/34-39 per dm. There are some lazy lines.
Pile: wool; 9 colours: dark red, red, dark green, green, dark blue, blue, light blue, black [corroded], white. Symmetrical knottied around two warp threads; 80 knots per sq.in/1095 per sq/dm.
Side Finish: cut
End Finish: cut
Design:
Dimensions
  • Length: 90cm
  • Width: 107cm
plus board
Style
Gallery label
Jameel Gallery Fragments of Carpet with Interlace Design Turkey, probably Uşak About 1500 An earlier approach to carpet design was to fill the field with small-scale repeat patterns. This example has rows of octagons of different sizes, rings of knotwork, and arabesques. Patterns of this type appear in Iranian paintings of the early 15th century, and in European paintings from the mid-15th century. Wool warp (Z2S), wool weft and pile Museum no. 154-1908(Jameel Gallery)
Production
"Small-pattern Holbein" carpet
Summary
The pattern on this carpet fragment shows how some designs filled the field with small-scale repeat patterns. This example has rows of octagons of different sizes, rings of knotwork, and arabesques. Patterns of this type appear in Iranian paintings of the early 15th century, and in European paintings from the mid 15th century.

Pile carpets are one of many types of floor covering used in the Middle East. They are the most familiar to western Europeans as they have been imported from Turkey since at least the mid 15th century. Examples appear in Italian Renaissance paintings and are also depicted by north European artists such as Hans Holbein. Certain carpet designs became known in Europe by the names of the artists who painted them, including Holbein and Lorenzo Lotto.
Collection
Accession number
154&A-1908

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

Record createdAugust 1, 2002
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest