http://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/internal/media/dispatcher/58388/fullEmbroidered Wool Shawl Panel with Geometric and Script Ornamentation20th centuryEmbroidered wool with silk threadsTextileshttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/objects/3703/rdfhttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/internal/media/dispatcher/60422/fullVoided Silk Velvet Brocade Cushion Cover (Çatma)17th centurySilk velvetThis çatma cushion cover exemplifies luxury Ottoman textile design in the 1600s. Within the large, central medallion, twelve blossoms encircle a small sunburst design. The medallion ends with trefoil finials on either side. The four corners, or “spandrels,” are decorated with delicate rosebuds. The “lappets,” the outer edges of the çatma are adorned with delicate rosebuds and hyacinth blossoms. A çatma is a brocaded velvet made primarily in the Ottoman city of Bursa. The textile is woven from silk imported from Iran and dyed with a combination of madder-red, made from a root found in Anatolia, and cochineal, made from tiny, crushed-up insects imported from Mexico. The sections of the design that are now white were originally shimmering gold, woven from silk wrapped in precious metal. This type of textile would have been woven by many hands in a workshop. The intricate pattern would have been set up by an expert designer called a nakşbend and replicated by the weavers many times. Created for mass consumption, these textiles were purchased by wealthy and upper-class families, a prized possession at home in the Ottoman empire and abroad. In Ottoman empire, the çatma were used to upholster the sedir, the long, low bench that lined the living spaces of the wealthy, where it would have caught the eye of visitors and signaled the affluence of the owners.Textileshttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/objects/3747/rdfhttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/internal/media/dispatcher/60423/fullVoided Silk Velvet Brocade Cushion Cover (Çatma)17th centurySilk velvetTextileshttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/objects/3748/rdfhttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/internal/media/dispatcher/20324/fullPolychrome Embroidered Suzani with Floral Motifs19th centuryCotton, silk threadsThis hand-embroidered textile is known as a suzani, a type of embroidery that originated in urban centers of modern day Uzbekistan. The design is composed of large rows of rosettes, called lola (tulip), surrounded by swirling vegital designs. This style, with floral designs intertwined with meandering vines, and colors palette indicate that it was probably made in Bukhara or a nearby center in the late 1800s. Suzanis were an essential element of a young woman’s dowry, hand stitched by groups of women in preparation for marriage. Women took great pride in their embroidery skills, as their creations were displayed in their homes and at important occasions, such as weddings and funerals. Women of all social strata, both Muslim and Jewish, participated in the art of suzani-making. Traditionally, these textiles were embroidered on strips of unbleached cotton called kasbah. This cloth was cut into strips and stitched together. A designated designer called a kalamkash outlined the larger elements of the design in ink. The highly respected role of kalamkash was usually filled by an older woman in the family or a professional draughts-women who would pass her skills along to her daughter. After the kalamash drew the design, the strips of cloth were separated, embroidered by several women at a time, and stitched together again. The smaller details of the design were incorporated by the individual embroiderers.Textileshttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/objects/3775/rdfhttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/internal/media/dispatcher/62790/fullPolychrome Embroidered Hanging with Star Motifs19th - 20th centuryCotton with cotton threadsThis cotton textile is richly stitched with burgundy, green, yellow and white thread on a dark ground. In the center is a medallion of concentric circles. The ground is lined with a lattice pattern, filled with radiating circular motifs punctuated with white, square designs. Called “Marash embroidery,” this type of needlework was named after the region from which it originated. The town of Marash (today part of present-day Turkey) was primarily home to Cilician Armenians prior to the Amenian Genocide of 1915-6. Generations of Armenian women have practiced the intricate art of embroidery, and this practice of needlework has been passed down through generations, from mother to daughter.Textileshttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/objects/3780/rdfhttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/internal/media/dispatcher/62791/fullPolychrome Embroidered Hanging with Star Motifs19th - 20th centuryCotton, cotton threadsThis textile is richly stitched with burgundy, green, yellow, and white thread on a dark ground. In the center of the textile, concentric circular motifs encircle an 8-pointed star. The ground is lined with a lattice pattern filled with radiating circular motifs, punctuated by white, square designs (?) This type of embroidery is called Marash embroidery, named after the town of Marash from which it originated. Prior to the Armenian Genocide of 1915-16, the town of Marash (today in present-day Turkey) was home to a large population of Cilician Armenians. The tradition of Marash embroidery has transcended both time and political borders. Following the Genocide, many Armenians fled their homeland to Syria, Lebanon, France, Italy, the United States, and Russia (to the present-day Republic of Armenia). The conflict in Syria beginning in 2011 displaced Armenian communities within the country, many of whom fled to Armenia. Despite these displacements the tradition of embroidery continues to be practiced among the Armenian diaspora around the world. Textileshttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/objects/3797/rdfhttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/internal/media/dispatcher/20297/fullPolychrome Embroidered Suzani with Star and Floral Motifs19th - 20th centuryCotton, silk threadsSuzanis are embroidered textiles that originated in urban centers of present-day Uzbekistan. This suzani probably comes from Nurata, a region near Samarkand in present-day Uzbekistan. Suzani from this region are characterized by floral sprays arranged around a central cluster of flowers or rosette and surrounded by a regular border. Suzanis were an essential element of a young woman’s dowry, hand stitched by groups of women in preparation for marriage. Women took great pride in their embroidery skills, as their creations were displayed in their homes and at important occasions, such as weddings and funerals. Women of all social strata, both Muslim and Jewish, participated in the art of suzani-making. Traditionally, these textiles were embroidered on strips of unbleached cotton called kasbah. This cloth was cut into strips and stitched together. A designated designer called a kalamkash outlined the larger elements of the design in ink. The highly respected role of kalamkash was usually filled by an older woman in the family or a professional draughts-women who would pass her skills along to her daughter. After the kalamash drew the design, the strips of cloth were separated, embroidered by several women at a time, and stitched together again. The smaller details of the design were incorporated by the individual embroiderers.Textileshttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/objects/3810/rdfhttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/internal/media/dispatcher/20289/fullPolychrome Embroidered Suzani with Floral Motifs19th - 20th centuryCotton, silk and cotton threadsTextileshttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/objects/3816/rdfhttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/internal/media/dispatcher/20288/fullEmbroidered Silk Shawl (Phulkari) with Diamond Lattice Motif20th centuryCotton with floss silkThis silk shawl, or phulkari, is densely embroidered in a lattice pattern with red, silk thread on white, cotton cloth. This type of embroidery was created by women from the Punjab region of modern day northern India or the Punjab region of Pakistan. Translated from Sanskrit, the word phulkari means “floral work” from phul (flower) and kari (work). Using a darning stitch on the reverse of the fabric, women embroidered intricate patterns using shimmering, brightly-colored silk threads called pat on strips of rough cotton cloth called khadar. The strips of cloth were sewn together and dyed with natural materials such as madder-red (rubia tinctoria), which produces red, brown, and maroon colors. Postcolonial interest in Indian craft changed the consumption and creation of phulkaris. Following international exhibitions in Europe and North America, phulkaris were increasingly exported to London and New York where they were used as “exotic” household furnishings, such as curtains or piano covers. To meet this demand, both women and men participated in phulkari production. Textileshttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/objects/3817/rdfhttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/internal/media/dispatcher/41820/fullEmbroidered Silk and Cotton Shawl (Phulkari)20th centuryCotton, floss silkThis silk, embroidered shawl, or phulkari is densely embroidered in a lattice pattern, with red silk thread on white cotton cloth. Translated from Sanskrit, the word phulkari means “floral work” from phul (flower) and kari (work). The art of phulkari was practiced by women across many social positions in the Punjab region, now northern India and the Punjab province of Pakistan Traditionally, phulkari making was a personal, creative practice; young girls were taught to embroider by their mothers, and each developed their own unique style within their family group. With its surface entirely covered with embroidery, this type of phulkari is called bagh, meaning “garden.” These elaborate textiles could take months or even years to create. They were presented to brides on their wedding day and passed as heirlooms from one generation to the next.Textileshttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/objects/3818/rdfhttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/internal/media/dispatcher/17809/fullEmbroidered Silk Portrait of the Mughal Empress Mariam-uz-Zamanic. 1850Cotton, silk threadsThought to be a portrait of the Mughal Empress Mariam-uz-Zamani (an honorific title, her name is unknown but thought to have been Harkhan Champavati), wife of Akbar (r. 1556-1605 CE), this image was created not by delicate brushstrokes, but by tiny stitches: silk thread covers the entire surface, from her sarpech (turban ornament) to her heavily embroidered caftan. The heavy ropes of pearls, gem-set pendants, and floral diadem certainly indicate a high-ranking lady of the court, if not the empress herself. If it is meant to be Harkhan Champavati, then the depiction is apt: a Rajput princess, she married into the Mughal dynasty as a celebrated union of Hindu and Muslim families. Court artists - of diverse faiths - highlighted the wealth and prestige of her family, as well as her exalted position as mother of the future emperor Jahangir. The Mughal Empire was at its height under Akbar, with riches obtained through such matrimonial alliances, as well as military campaigns. As this portrait was made in the 18th century, as the Mughal Empire was waning, this is perhaps a moment of wistful artistic reflection on the era of peace and pluralism under Mariam-uz-Zamani and Akbar, two centuries before.Textileshttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/objects/4034/rdfhttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/internal/media/dispatcher/20190/fullPolychrome Cotton Prayer Carpet with Niche and Lamp Motifs19th centuryCotton, polychrome pigmentsTextileshttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/objects/4354/rdfhttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/internal/media/dispatcher/62237/fullSilk Heriz Carpet with Floral and Pomegranate Motifs19th centurySilkHeriz is a region in northwestern Iran that became known as a carpet-weaving center in the 19th century. Aimed primarily at the European market, Heriz carpets tend to be wider and longer than their typical Persian counterparts. Their designs are usually geometric, or as in this example, a highly angular verson of the scrolling vegetal and floral patterns common in Iran. The field of this carpet has a red ground with pomegrante-like shapes at either end. Flowers extend from the top of each fruit, while stylized arabesque motifs fill the rest of the central ground. Around this is a series of borders, the largest on a navy ground with repeated medallions against a curving vine.Textileshttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/objects/4609/rdfhttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/internal/media/dispatcher/16820/fullVoided Silk Brocade Çatma Panel with Floral Motifs17th centurySilk velvetThis silk textile, or çatma, was woven in the first half of the 1700s in Bursa in present-day Turkey during the rule of the Ottoman empire. Its bold pattern is composed of rows of eight-lobed medallions containing rosebuds and delicate hyacinth stems. Its border is lined with medallions decorated with rosebuds and carnations. The çatma was probably created as a maq’ad, or “sitting cloth,” intended to cover the sedir, the main furnishing of an Ottoman household that was used as a seating area during the day and as a sleeping quarters at night.Textileshttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/objects/5241/rdfhttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/internal/media/dispatcher/20191/fullEmbroidered and Appliquéd Cotton "Sunburst" Tent Panel (Khayamiya)19th centuryCottonTextileshttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/objects/5938/rdfhttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/internal/media/dispatcher/57730/fullEmbroidered and Appliquéd Cotton Tent Panel (Khayamiya)19th centuryCottonTextileshttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/objects/5939/rdfhttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/internal/media/dispatcher/15459/fullEmbroidered and Appliquéd Cotton Tent Panel (Khayamiya)19th centuryCottonTextileshttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/objects/5942/rdfhttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/internal/media/dispatcher/20193/fullEmbroidered and Appliquéd Cotton Tent Panel (Khayamiya)19th centuryCottonThis appliqué is one of a set of six featuring designs that echo the bold geometry of Egypt’s period of Mamluk rule (1250–1517). The format of calligraphy above a central roundel with trefoils is similar to other works of art created during the Mamluk Revival period. This particular textile features the following verse from the Qur’an: “That man can have nothing but what he strives for...” (53:39). Appliqués of this type were often used to embellish tents.Textileshttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/objects/5943/rdfhttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/internal/media/dispatcher/20194/fullEmbroidered and Appliquéd Cotton Tent Panel (Khayamiya)19th centuryCottonTextileshttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/objects/5944/rdfhttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/internal/media/dispatcher/20197/fullEmbroidered and Appliquéd Cotton Tent Panel (Khayamiya)19th centuryCottonThis appliqué is one of a set of six featuring designs that echo the bold geometry of Egypt’s period of Mamluk rule (1250–1517). The format of calligraphy above a central roundel with trefoils is similar to other works of art created during the Mamluk Revival period. This particular textile features the following verse from the Qur’an: “That man can have nothing but what he strives for...” (53:39). Appliqués of this type were often used to embellish tents.Textileshttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/objects/5945/rdfhttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/internal/media/dispatcher/17808/fullEmbroidered Silk Portrait of the Mughal Emperor Akbarc. 1850Cotton, silk threadsThought to be a portrait of the Mughal Emperor Akbar (r. 1556-1605 CE), perhaps due to the distinctive narrow moustache, this image was created not by delicate brushstrokes, but by tiny stitches: silk thread covers the entire surface, from his sarpech (turban ornament) to his heavily embroidered caftan. His heavy ropes of pearls, gem-set pendants, and floral seat certainly indicate a high-ranking gentleman of the court, if not the emperor himself. If it is meant to be Akbar, then the depiction is apt: a noted patron of arts, he was known for the high quality of his artisinal court workshops, where craftspeople and artists from all faiths worked together. The Mughal Empire was at its height under Akbar, with riches obtained through military campaigns and matrimonial alliances. As this portrait was made in the 18th century, as the Mughal Empire was waning, this is perhaps a moment of wistful artistic reflection on the era of peace and pluralism under Akbar, two centuries before.Textileshttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/objects/6141/rdfhttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/internal/media/dispatcher/17855/fullBlock-Printed Cotton Curtain with Archway and Palm Tree Motifs1938Cotton, polychrome pigmentsTextileshttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/objects/7278/rdfhttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/internal/media/dispatcher/17855/fullBlock-Printed Cotton Curtain with Archway and Palm Tree Motifs1938Cotton, polychrome pigmentsTextileshttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/objects/7279/rdfhttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/internal/media/dispatcher/17855/fullBlock-Printed Cotton Curtain with Archway and Palm Tree Motifs1938Cotton, polychrome pigmentsTextileshttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/objects/7280/rdfhttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/internal/media/dispatcher/17855/fullBlock-Printed Cotton Curtain with Archway and Palm Tree Motifs1938Cotton, polychrome pigmentsTextileshttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/objects/7281/rdfhttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/internal/media/dispatcher/41555/fullEmbroidered and Appliquéd Cotton Tent Panel (Khayamiya)20th centuryCottonTextileshttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/objects/7976/rdfhttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/internal/media/dispatcher/41556/fullEmbroidered and Appliquéd Cotton Tent Panel (Khayamiya)20th centuryCottonThis appliquéd cotton tent panel depicts two “windows” of distinct, tessellated geometric patterns above which there are two bands of stylized vegetation. Between these two registers in an inscription in rather unwieldy Arabic; the second part (to the viewer’s left side) reads “all art seeks”, but the first part (on the viewer’s right side) has puzzled many scholars who have attempted to read it. The words might be misspelled, or they might be derived from Hebrew or Coptic dialects incorporated into Egyptian Arabic. Our best guess is that it reads “the Nile of Egypt erased”, which is rather cryptic! Tent panels such as this example would have been commissioned for a special celebration: a wedding, a circumcision, or another festive shared event which required a temporary structure to accommodate and host guests. Brightly colored and quickly made, they were regarded as somewhat “disposable” and the craftspeople who specialize in their making have not traditionally enjoyed a high status. There has been a renewal of interest in the making of khayamiya, with Egyptians commissioning panels which incorporate traditional motifs as well as pop culture iconography, as well as renewed interest in their craftsmanship and making.Textileshttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/objects/7977/rdfhttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/internal/media/dispatcher/41557/fullEmbroidered and Appliquéd Cotton Tent Panel (Khayamiya)20th centuryCottonTextileshttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/objects/7978/rdfhttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/internal/media/dispatcher/41565/fullEmbroidered and Appliquéd Cotton Tent Panel (Khayamiya)20th centuryCottonTextileshttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/objects/7979/rdfhttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/internal/media/dispatcher/20203/fullEmbroidered and Appliquéd Cotton Tent Panel (Khayamiya)20th centuryCottonTextileshttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/objects/7980/rdfhttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/internal/media/dispatcher/51077/fullTurkmen Oushak Carpetc.2000Wool, cottonTextileshttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/objects/9198/rdfhttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/internal/media/dispatcher/59961/fullForest Scene from Ramayana with Rama, Lakshmana, and Hanumanc. 1930Cotton, pigmentsThis decorative batik textile depicts the style of wayang kulit (shadow puppetry), rendered in traditional colors of black, brown, and cream. It illustrates a scene from the Ramayana. Rama and his younger brother Lakshmana are traveling with Hanuman, chief of the vanara (forest-dwellers, typically monkeys). They encounter wildlife: peacocks, a lion, a bull, an elephant, a tiger, and naga (serpentine dragon form). The scene can represent a scene during the protagonists’ quest to find the palace of Rahwana, the leader of the raksasas (demons). Textileshttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/objects/9763/rdfhttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/internal/media/dispatcher/20306/fullEmbroidered (Rasht-i douzi) Table Cover19th - 20th centuryWool, silkThis elaborately embroidered wool and silk textile boasts geometric and vegetal motifs with clear links to Persian as well as Chinese iconography. The intricate patterning and high quality of needlework assure us that this cloth - although in form certainly possibly used as a tablecloth topper - was a highly prized artwork only for special occasions. Thick, felted or quilted table toppers helped to keep in the heat generated by charcoal-fed braziers kept under the table. A longer “underskirt” would have lain underneath the topper. Textileshttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/objects/3782/rdfhttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/internal/media/dispatcher/15476/fullEmbroidered Silk Brocade Textile with Floral Motifs18th centurySilk, metallic threadsTextileshttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/objects/4357/rdfhttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/internal/media/dispatcher/20310/fullEmbroidered (Rasht-i douzi) Saddle Blanket19th - 20th centuryWool, silkThis elaborately embroidered wool and silk textile boasts geometric and vegetal motifs with clear links to Persian manuscript illumination, as well as South Asian iconography (note the boteh, or paisley, motifs along the edge). Functional as a saddle blanket underneath an elaborately worked leather saddle, this intricate, fringed textile would certainly have been a luxurious item of showmanship for a well-off rider displaying both a flash of color - although the intricate embroidery would have been a personal pleasure, seen only by the rider and the groom. Textileshttp://collection.shangrilahawaii.org/objects/7287/rdf