Velvet Fragment with Bird and Flower Design

Among the finest examples of silk velvet in the collection, this fragment is one of a small group of surviving textiles sharing a similar weave structure. While much of this piece appears today as beige, originally the colorful and intricate design floated against a shimmering surface of gold, the background completely covered with flat gilded metal threads, some of which are still visible. Such fabrics were referred to as "gold velvet" by European visitors to the Safavid court. With its finely drawn design, multihued palette, and lavish threads, this textile was one of the most luxurious produced in its day.

Credit: Fletcher Fund, 1972