Title: Silk Rug
Date: circa 1630–40
Location: Mughal India
Materials: silk pile on a silk foundation
Dimensions: 152 x 98cm
Accession Number: TXT 93
Other Notes:
The central composition shows a flowering double poppy flanked by two tiny tulips beneath a pointed bracketed arched. The spandrels of the arch are filled with a vine bearing double poppies, while there is a flowering lotus vine in the main border. The guard stripes are of stepped lozenges. At least two contemporary rugs were made from the same cartoon, although they have silk or cotton warps and wefts and are knotted in wool of variable quality. This diversity is an important indication that the same workshop was simultaneously producing top-quality rugs for the court and rugs of lesser quality for clients of more limited means.
This design was much favoured for Indian cottons, both embroidered and block-printed (palampores), made for home consumption as well as for export.
Bibliography:
J.M. Rogers, The Arts of Islam. Masterpieces from the Khalili Collection, London 2010, cat.399, p.336.
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