Velvet hanging

19th century

Arabic characters twirl in a nonsensical dance within this textile’s central medallion. The letters around the border, however, are full of meaning, exhorting the owner (or any beholder) to live humbly, to be good, and to believe in divine truth.

Although now displayed on a platform, this velvet was made to hang on a wall or in a doorway. By showing this work of art in a way that minimizes physical strain on its fibers, we hope to extend its “lifetime,” and allow future generations of museum visitors to enjoy its artistry.

Velvet and plain weave cloth

68 x 59 in. (172.72 x 149.86 cm)

Eugene Fuller Memorial Collection

35.99

Not currently on view

Resources

Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Asian Art Museum, Mood Indigo: Textiles from Around the World, Apr. 9 - Oct. 9, 2016.

Seattle Art Museum respectfully acknowledges that we are on Indigenous land, the traditional territories of the Coast Salish people. We honor our ongoing connection to these communities past, present, and future.

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