Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

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Embroideries and Samplers from Islamic Egypt

A selection of 10th to 16th century embroideries from the Newberry collection at the Ashmolean by Marianne Ellis (published Oxford, 2001).

Embroideries and Samplers from Islamic Egypt by Marianne Ellis

Publications online: 66 objects

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Textile fragment with band of chevrons and trefoil finials

  • Literature notes

    This type of decoration of zigzag counterchange patterns can still be seen in 14th and 15th century Cairo architectural decoration. Evidently it appealed to textile designers, for elegant repeating zigzag bands decorated with fleurs-de-lys and naskhi script appear on a Mamluk woven silk, now divided among four museums in Europe and North America. Here the embroidery is far less grand, with no calligraphy, but is nevertheless impressive. By choosing to work it in close counted herringbone stitch, the embroiderer has produced a dense, slightly raised effect that adds a textural quality to the work and increases the contrast between the embroidered areas and those left in reserve.
  • Details

    Associated place
    Africa Egypt (find spot)
    AfricaEgyptCairoCairo Fustat (possible find spot)
    Near East (place of creation)
    Date
    14th century (1301 - 1400)
    Mamluk Period (1250 - 1517)
    Material and technique
    linen, embroidered with silk
    Dimensions
    42.5 x 8 cm max. (length x width)
    along length/width 19 / 19 threads/cm (thread count)
    ground fabric 0.05 cm (thread diameter)
    additional fibre, embroidery 0.07 cm (thread diameter)
    Material index
    organicvegetalfibreflax linen,
    Technique index
    Object type index
    No. of items
    1
    Credit line
    Presented by Professor Percy Newberry, 1941.
    Accession no.
    EA1993.156
  • Further reading

    Ellis, Marianne, Embroideries and Samplers from Islamic Egypt (Oxford: Ashmolean Museum, in association with Greenville: Curious Works Press, 2001), no. 38 on p. 56, illus. p. 56

    Barnes, Ruth and Marianne Ellis, ‘The Newberry Collection of Islamic Embroideries’, 4 vols, 2001, Oxford, Ashmolean Museum, cat. p. 117 (vol. iv), illus. vol. iv p. 117

Location

    • currently in research collection

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Publications online

  • Embroideries and Samplers from Islamic Egypt by Marianne Ellis

    Embroideries and Samplers from Islamic Egypt

    This type of decoration of zigzag counterchange patterns can still be seen in 14th and 15th century Cairo architectural decoration. Evidently it appealed to textile designers, for elegant repeating zigzag bands decorated with fleurs-de-lys and naskhi script appear on a Mamluk woven silk, now divided among four museums in Europe and North America. Here the embroidery is far less grand, with no calligraphy, but is nevertheless impressive. By choosing to work it in close counted herringbone stitch, the embroiderer has produced a dense, slightly raised effect that adds a textural quality to the work and increases the contrast between the embroidered areas and those left in reserve.
  • The Newberry Collection of Islamic Embroideries by Ruth Barnes and Marianne Ellis
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