Large Ottoman Silkwork Textile, Circa 1880

Large Ottoman Silkwork Textile Botanical Embroidery Depicting The Garden-like Setting of Heaven.

Circa 1880.

Ottoman Textile.

The massive silkwork depicts the garden setting of heaven described in the Qur'an. It depicts an arched gateway, the gate to Paradise, in the centre is a large vase filled with carnations.

Conservation of Islamic Textile with Gold Embroidery on a beige satin silk background.

The textile is heavily embroidered with gold threads on a silk satin weave background. The weft was of a stronger cotton thread which was loose over much of the textile. The entire textile was lined with coarser cotton lining and attached to the embroidered areas by cotton thread.

The need for reinforcement was made to stop any further loss and to be able to display the work; the weight of the gold embroidery presented a problem and to stabilize the textile, a scientific conservation method commonly used in museums was done.

The entire silk background was supported with a thin synthetic fabric adhered with a thermoplastic via very low heat. The process is entirely reversible and stabilizes the textile without any visible change to the original, and some older attempts at stabilizing with cotton threads were removed.

The fragile and brittle fibers were then reinforced by a second such lining so the piece could be safely displayed. Strips of strong linen were then fixed vertically, along with a strong cotton lining, to support it for display, and the original silk lining reaffixed on the back.

Dimensions

Price on application

This object is eligible for a Certificate of BADA Provenance

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