PART OF A CHILD'S DRESS.
TURKISH: 16th century.
From a royal tomb at Constantinople or Broussa.
5 shaft satin ground; 1/3 twill binding for the pattern.
3 ground warps, 1 binding warp; 1 ground, 1 pattern weft.
Selvage: ΒΌ" satin, green silk.
Warps: ground: /silk, red; binding:/ silk, cream.
Wefts: ground://or///silk, cream or red:
Pattern:\ gilt metal strip on a yellow ^silk core,
Yellow silk used with metal thread,///silk, white.
Braid: plaited\silver metal strip on a white silk core. [Used until 08/1997]
Jameel Gallery
Princes' Kaftans from Ottoman Turkey
These three kaftans (and another in a nearby case) were worn by Ottoman princes who died when they were children. They were preserved in imperial tombs where, in accordance with Ottoman custom, they were placed over the graves of the deceased.
The kaftans may have come from the graves of the 19 younger sons of Sultan Murat III, who were executed at the succession of their half-brother, Mehmet III, in 1595. This gory practice, designed to avoid a struggle for the succession, was never repeated.
The kaftans, woven of silk and metal-wrapped thread, show that even in childhood, Ottoman princes were dressed in the same lavish style as the sultan and his courtiers. The wide range of designs of the time include a meandering vine set with tulips, which clearly influenced contemporary embroidery (see case opposite).
Museum nos 768, 763, 754-1884 [2006-2012]Textile, Dress; Child's kaftan, front left panel, silk lampas with metal-wrapped thread, vertical design of parallel meandering tulip stems, Ottoman Istanbul or Bursa, Turkey, 1550-1600. Sewn to 754-1884.
Textile, Dress; Child's kaftan, front right panel, silk lampas with metal-wrapped thread, with vertical design of parallel meandering tulip stems, Ottoman Istanbul or Bursa, Turkey, 1550-1600. Sewn to 754A-1884.Front of a child's robe (kaftan) of woven silk with a floral meander design.Kaftans like this one were worn by Ottoman princes who died when they were children. This example is woven of silk and metal-wrapped thread. It shows that even in childhood Ottoman princes were dressed in the same lavish style as the sultan and his courtiers. The wide range of contemporary woven patterns includes a meandering vine set with tulips, which is also found in embroidery of the time.
The kaftans were preserved in imperial tombs. Here, in accordance with Ottoman custom, they were placed over the graves of the deceased. This kaftan may have come from one of the graves of the 19 younger sons of Sultan Murat III. They were executed at the succession of their half-brother, Mehmet III, in 1595. This gory practice, designed to avoid a struggle for the succession, was never repeated.