Safavid Velvet Fragment

Velvet fragment, 16th century; Safavid Period, Iran
Silk and metal thread; velvet
Dimension: H. 78.7 cm, W. 34.3 cm
kept in Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY, USA
Source: [1]

پارچه مخمل با تار و پود ابریشمی و فلزی. عصر صفوی. قرن ۱۶ میلادی. موزه متروپلیتن 

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. - The Museum Website
To learn more on Persian textiles click here. [2], [3]
More about Textiles in the Middle East. [4]