Page 216 - The Age of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent

One of the medallions is composed of three sets of overlap-
ping and intersecting circular bands that radiate from a cen-
tral roundel. The other medallion shows a swirling pattern
with two sets of crescents, its alternating elements overlaid
with leaves; extending from the sides are a pair of thick
curved leaves.
This fragment, which has lost most of its pile and metallic
strips, still creates a vibrant and almost psychedelic composi-
tion with its swirling, intersecting, and twisting elements. An-
other fragment of almost the same size is in the Binney Col-
lection. 81 The worn condition of both pieces suggests that the
textile received heavy use, perhaps on a bench or divan.
In the Ottoman court richly brocaded satins and velvets
were spread on the ground covering pillows and floor cush-
ions, creating comfortable and opulent settings. Baron Bus-
becq, narrating one of his meetings with Süleyman, described
the scene: "The sultan was seated on a rather low sofa, not
more than a foot from the ground and spread with many
costly coverlets and cushions embroidered [most likely bro-
caded] with exquisite work/' 82 Representations of the sultan
in the historical manuscripts also show him sitting on cush-
ion-covered thrones, with large textiles spread on the ground.
Some of these have overall patterns, while others show cen-
tral medallions.
One of the existing kemha floor coverings (150) has the
same format as a rectangular rug, with a wide border enclos-
ing central medallions and corner quadrants. Decorated with
ruby red, gold, and silver motifs on a rich blue ground, it is
constructed of three widths woven on a special loom 100
3
centimeters (38 A inches) wide. Now cut in half, it was origi-
nally 800 centimeters (26 feet 3 inches) long and had three
central medallions. Each of the slightly flattened lobed medal-
lions with trefoil pendants contains a central blossom sur-
rounded by sprays of carnations and round flowers resem-
bling sweet alyssum radiating from the center; two of the
sprays extend into the finials with tulips. One quarter of the
same medallion appears in each corner.
The blue border has a scrolling branch with hybrid blos-
soms, flanked at the top or at the bottom by two leaves that
create a reciprocal pattern. The two thin guard stripes are
decorated with a scroll bearing trefoils and blossoms.
Nihale designs based on compositions used in medallion
rugs, which in turn reflect the impact of bookbindings, were
also executed in voided velvets woven with metallic threads.
One of the çatma coverings dating from the sixteenth century
is remarkably similar to a rug with an overall pattern of geo-
metric patterns decorated with floral motifs. Woven with four

148 (left). Çatma fragment with ogival pattern (detail), second quarter
sixteenth century (New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 12.49.5)

149 (right). Çatma fragment with swirling roundels, mid-sixteenth century
(Kuwait, Kuwait National Museum, LNS 99 T)

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