Embroidered and Appliquéd Cotton Tent Panel (Khayamiya)
Date20th century
MediumCotton
DimensionsOverall: 94 1/8 x 89 3/8 in. (239 x 227cm)
ClassificationsTextiles
Credit LineCourtesy of the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art.
Object number83.72
DescriptionThis 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.
On View
Not on view
18th - 19th century
19th - 20th century
Dated 1271 AH (1854 - 1855 CE)
Dated 1271 AH (1854 - 1855 CE)
Dated 1271 AH (1854 - 1855 CE)
Dated 1271 AH (1854 - 1855 CE)
One of a set/One of a set
