Figural Safavid Silk Velvet with metal threads

90 x 53 cm (2' 11" x 1' 9") Persia, 17th century Condition: very good, complete, minor signs of use, mounted on a wooden panel Silk velvet on silk with metal threads This remarkable velvet has a closely related counterpart in the collection of the L. A. Mayer Museum of Islamic Art in Jerusalem. Rachel Hasson brought this fascinating textile to wider attention in an article published in HALI 69, p. 96, in which she compares it with a miniature preserved in the Topkapı Palace in Istanbul. It is well known that representations of human figures were treated with greater freedom during the Safavid period than in many other periods of Islamic art. Numerous figurative textiles drew their inspiration from celebrated literary narratives, such as Layla and Majnun, Yusuf and Zu-laykha, and Alexander and the Dragon, as well as scenes depicting princesses and royal hunts. Against this background, the representation of a naked, bearded man gazing up into a tree ap-pears particularly unusual. Rachel Hasson associates this intriguing imagery with illustrations from Aja'ib al-Makhluqat wa Ghara'ib al-Mawjudat (The Wonders of Creatures and the Marvels of Creation) by Zakar-iyya al-Qazwini (1203–1283). This remarkable work enjoyed enormous popularity throughout the Islamic world, as demon-strated by the numerous surviving manuscripts. As Rachel Hasson observed: "This was not necessarily due to the works' scientific value; both text and accompanying illus-trations were appreciated as fascinating sources of fictional material." One of the illustrations depicts naked figures seated beneath a tree, while others ride on the shoulders of a turbaned man. The accompanying text describes these extraordinary creatures: "I saw handsome men sitting under the trees and they had no bones in their legs. Their shins like strips of skin, they crawl along, and when they see someone walking, they call to him to sit with them then they jump on to his shoulders and wind their legs around his neck." Hasson concludes with the intriguing suggestion: "Perhaps this textile was commissioned by a patron intrigued by the fantastic tales of odd crea-tures in exotic, remote lands." The present velvet thus offers a fascinating glimpse into the imaginative world of Safavid tex-tile art, where literary traditions, fantastic creatures and exceptional artistic craftsmanship came together in compositions of remarkable originality. Estimate: € 12000 - 16000 Starting bid: € 7000

Utropspris:133 274,98 SEK

Visa alla föremål frånAustria Auction CompanyellerMattor & Textilier