The ogival motifs on this velvet show Italian influence and the design seems to belong to the first half of the sixteenth century. Together with V&A 144-1891 and 1357-1877 this item shows the intechange between Turkish motifs adopted and adapted by Italian weavers and then 're-orientalised' by Turkish weavers after the Italian models.Red ground with gold thread, the decoration is formed by ogival design of carnation within a setting of roses and hyacinths. Silk and cotton foundation with cut silk pile and areas brocaded with metal thread.This velvet furnishing fabric was woven in Bursa, Turkey, to compete with similar velvets woven in Venice and Florence. It was produced under the Ottoman dynasty, who sought to challenge the Italian domination of the international textile market.
The design is based on a pattern like those found on Italian velvets. However, the Turkish weavers have changed individual elements to give it a more 'Ottoman' look. The dominant floral motif shown here is a stylised, fan-like carnation that is one of the most typical of Ottoman textile patterns.Textile; velvet, 1500s, Turkish