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.