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).
Publications online: 66 objects
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Textile fragment with squares and hexagons
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Literature notes
Like No.57 [EA1984.445.a], this band is the central one of three worked on a scarf. It combines some features already seen on Nos.56 [EA1984.472] and 57 [EA1984.445.a], with the elongated hexagon and horizontal Z within diamond shapes. It is another example of the skilful way designers rearranged the same motifs and patterns. The addition of a third colour has resulted in a particularly attractive embroidery, and the openwork ground contrasts well with the satin stitch motifs.
Although both these bands are from scarf ends, the same embroidery was probably worked on covers, towels and light furnishings such as curtains. There is an impressive large hanging covering the wall in the background of Marziale's painting, Supper at Emmaus (Accademia Galleries, Venice), decorated with vertical bands of geometric patterns featuring Z-shapes within elongated hexagons and pseudo-kufic letters. -
Details
- Associated place
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Near East (place of creation)
- Date
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15th century (1401 - 1500)
Mamluk Period (1250 - 1517)
- Material and technique
- linen, embroidered with blue, green, and yellow silk; pulled-thread openwork; with rolled hems in flax
- Dimensions
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26 x 16 cm max. (length x width)
along length/width 17 / 24 threads/cm (thread count)
embroidery bands 4.5 cm (width)
ground fabric 0.05 cm (thread diameter)
additional fibre, embroidery 0.06 cm max. (thread diameter)
additional fibre, embroidery 0.04 cm min. (thread diameter)
- Material index
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organic › animal › animal product › silk,
- Technique index
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woven › plain woven,assembled › woven › plain woven,
- Object type index
- No. of items
- 1
- Credit line
- Presented by Professor Percy Newberry, 1941.
- Accession no.
- EA1984.446
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Further reading
Ellis, Marianne, Embroideries and Samplers from Islamic Egypt (Oxford: Ashmolean Museum, in association with Greenville: Curious Works Press, 2001), no. 58 on p. 87, illus. p. 87
Barnes, Ruth and Marianne Ellis, ‘The Newberry Collection of Islamic Embroideries’, 4 vols, 2001, Oxford, Ashmolean Museum, cat. vol. iii, illus. vol. i
Location
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- currently in research collection
Objects are sometimes moved to a different location. Our object location data is usually updated on a monthly basis. Contact the Jameel Study Centre if you are planning to visit the museum to see a particular object on display, or would like to arrange an appointment to see an object in our reserve collections.
Galleries
Publications online
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Embroideries and Samplers from Islamic Egypt
Like No.57 [EA1984.445.a], this band is the central one of three worked on a scarf. It combines some features already seen on Nos.56 [EA1984.472] and 57 [EA1984.445.a], with the elongated hexagon and horizontal Z within diamond shapes. It is another example of the skilful way designers rearranged the same motifs and patterns. The addition of a third colour has resulted in a particularly attractive embroidery, and the openwork ground contrasts well with the satin stitch motifs.
Although both these bands are from scarf ends, the same embroidery was probably worked on covers, towels and light furnishings such as curtains. There is an impressive large hanging covering the wall in the background of Marziale's painting, Supper at Emmaus (Accademia Galleries, Venice), decorated with vertical bands of geometric patterns featuring Z-shapes within elongated hexagons and pseudo-kufic letters. -
The Newberry Collection of Islamic Embroideries
Three parallel bands, one very fragmentary, containing squares and hexagons. The squares have a blue horizontal S-shape and two stylized yellow trefoils, embroidered in satin stitch. The hexagon contains two rhombic shapes embroidered in green satin stitch, and a frame and horizontal angular S-shape embroidered in pulled work with yellow wrapping stitch in horizontal rows. On either side of the hexagon are triangles embroidered in blue satin stitch.
The bands are 4.5 cm wide and set 6.5 cm apart. Two sides of the textile have rolled hems, and the bands are at right angles to them.
Notice
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