There is one other image of this object. This image is in the public domain (free of copyright restrictions), and as such we offer a high-resolution image of it. See our image rights statement.
See more objects with the color saddlebrown tan dimgrey rosybrown beige or see all the colors for this object.
Object Timeline
1902 |
|
2013 |
|
2014 |
|
2015 |
|
2025 |
|
Textile
This is a Textile. It is dated 16th–17th century and we acquired it in 1902. Its medium is silk and its technique is compound satin. It is a part of the Textiles department.
This red-ground textile is decorated with zigzag rows of calligraphic inscriptions including Qur’anic verses, the shahada or Muslim profession of faith, and, in the central wide band, repeated cartouches with the names of the Prophet Muhammad and Allah. Large silks like this were commissioned every year by the Ottoman Sultan, who sent them to the sanctuaries of Mecca and Medina for the decoration of the Ka’ba and the tombs of the Prophet and his Companions. The red ground and inscriptions on this example suggest that it was once part of a decoration for the interior of the Ka’ba or perhaps a cover for the grave of the Prophet, and its wear pattern evokes the division and sale of used coverings, which were considered secondary relics, and reused as clothing, wall hangings, Qur’an covers, and tomb covers by the Ottomans.
This object was featured in our Object of the Week series in a post titled Sent by the Sultan.
This object was
donated by
John Pierpont Morgan.
It is credited Gift of John Pierpont Morgan.
- Fragment (Spain)
- silk.
- Gift of John Pierpont Morgan.
- 1902-1-225
- Cope Hood Fragment (Spain)
- silk.
- Gift of John Pierpont Morgan.
- 1902-1-302
- Fragment (Spain), 15th–16th century
- silk.
- Gift of John Pierpont Morgan.
- 1902-1-300
Our curators have highlighted 6 objects that are related to this one. Here are three of them, selected at random:
- Tile
- glazed, lustered and painted stonepaste, rolled and pierced silver (later mount).
- Gift of Ruth Friedman in memory of Harry G. Friedman.
- 1966-3-5-a/c
- Fragment Of A Tomb Cover (Iran)
- silk.
- Gift of John Pierpont Morgan.
- 1902-1-912
- Textile, Temple Rodef Shalom ark curtain trial
- silk, metalized plastic film wrapped around a viscose rayon core, and flat....
- Gift of Mr. Eric and Mrs. Sylvia Elsesser, The Trude Guermonprez Archives.
- 1993-121-5
Its dimensions are
H x W: 40.7 x 30.5 cm (16 x 12 in.)
It is inscribed
Cite this object as
Textile; silk; H x W: 40.7 x 30.5 cm (16 x 12 in.); Gift of John Pierpont Morgan; 1902-1-381