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24
Hanging in form of an arch with
cypress/tree
of life flanked by two smaller cypresses.
probably Yazd,
Iran; possibly Bukhara.
The tree of life is a
motif of ancient lineage evocative of paradise and therefore related
to imagery found on some prayer rugs. It is a very common feature of
panels made for hanging in the Indo-Persian world (with related
examples from the Ottoman empire) of the seventeenth through
nineteenth centuries, such as the qanat (tent panels), and
individual hangings in many techniques, including qalamkari (kalamkari),
embroidery, applique as well as ikat. Generally, they add beauty
and dignity to their surroundings.
Persian inscription in border: "ariz andar
`ariz mumtaz a`la a`la
a`la farmiyish-i Amir"
translates to
"In its full extent, select and superior
(three times over), produced by Amir."1
Silk textiles of this general sort, warp faced but balanced enough
to permit sharply contrasting colored wefts to create a
"plaid"
effect, were made not only in Iran and Bukhara but also in Syria.
However, the latter did not adopt this arch with cypress format and
the Persian inscription points to a place of origin to the East.
1.
Thanks to A. Riedlmayer
for translation
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Size, materials and techniques:
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Size: 7' 4”
x 4' (193
x 122 cm). Warp ikat (dara'i in Iran, abr in
Central Asia); silk warps and silk wefts in a warp-faced
weave, ca. 160 irregular, apparently untwisted warps per inch
and ca. 115 irregular, apparently untwisted wefts per inch.
Top end folded over one inch and hemmed with hand-sewn red
silk stitching as are two triangular red silk reinforcements
in each upper corner on the back. Bottom unhemmed. Cotton
loops for hanging attached to each upper corner and
three-fifths of the way down each side. Bands of light yellow
wefts create top and bottom borders and frames to the field,
the warps not obscuring the contrast with all the other wefts,
which are red. Colors are natural white, blue, red and yellow,
given a particular cast depending upon the presence of red or
yellow wefts. Warp yarns were tied in three-sixteenths inch
wide bands in border, three-eights inch wide bands in field.
The piece is unbacked and consists of one loom width.
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