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Persia, Kashan (?), c. 1600
Silk
23 x 28 cm
Inv. no. 2251
The production of silk textiles, a long-standing tradition in Persia, reached its peak during the Safavid period (1501-1722), especially during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The city of Kashan stood out among the best-known production centres, and its silks and velvets gained a fine reputation, as shown by numerous reports by Europeans that visited the city. Although the number of surviving pieces from that period is very small in comparison to the scale of production, some of the miniatures reveal much about the profusion and wealth of these precious materials.
The composition on this fragment of brocaded silk is extremely sophisticated and elegant. It shows two young courtiers, sitting in symmetrical positions, wearing rich robes, turbans and sashes with cut ends. Each figure is holding a bottle in one hand and a small cup in the other.
The scene, which takes place in the open air, is set among rich, alternating floral and plant decorations.
The design of this piece may be related to the style of Riza-i-Abbasi, court painter to Shah Abbas (1587-1628). Fragments of the same fabric can be found at the Textile Museum, Washington and the Detroit Art Institute.
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