Ground of red satin patterned with interlacing octagons and poly-lobed medallions enclosing geometric ornament and arabesques woven with worn and tarnished metal thread (gilded skin wound on linen) and blue, green and yellow silk; crossed by band with affronted buds divided by trees woven with worn metal thread on red ground, above and below narrower bands of interlocking blue and geometric forms.

Imported Middle Eastern textiles were highly valued luxury goods during this period, and this velvet pattern was originally the product of the Persian workshops of Tabriz. The number of surviving pieces in European and American collections suggests that this attractive pattern was produced in relatively large quantities; it may have been imitated by Italian velvet weavers and produced for a long period of time.

Fragment with band patterned with weft floats with small chevrons (draps d'areste) alternating with samit bands polychrome bands in red, yellow, blue and gold-metallic thread patterned with peacocks, and yellow, white and red bands patterned with stylized flowers.

1201 / 1400, Spain

1201 / 1400, Spain

Description