Silk and metal thread; velvet; H. 31 in. (78.7 cm), Gr. W. 13 1/2 in. (34.3 cm)
Purchase, Joseph Pulitzer Bequest, 1952 (52.20.11)
Textiles of the Safavid period demonstrate the technical mastery of the weavers as well as their strong dependence upon book illustration and illumination as a pattern source, at least in the products of court workshops. This example features a lattice pattern formed by staggered rows of lobed medallions. The princely pastime of falconry is the subject of the medallion scenes: the bird sits on her master’s gloved hand while an attendant, holding a receptacle and a bag for the game, approaches. A duck flies away from the falconer. The background of these scenes was once covered with metal thread, now mostly worn.