Page 220 - The Age of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent

152. Calma floor covering (details), second half sixteenth century
(The Detroit Institute of Arts, 48.137)

petals (possibly forget-me-nots) instead of tulips and carna-
tions. The wide band between the medallions contains blos-
soms rendered in gold on red.
The wide red border contains a series of lobed ivory medal-
lions linked by a pair of scrolling branches bearing tulips and
other blossoms. In the centers of the medallions are quatre -
foils filled with flowers, while sprays of carnations and tulips
grow at its corners. Braided guard stripes enclose the border.
The harmonized balance between velvet and voided areas
and the employment of ivory, red, and gold as the back-
ground and in the main themes create a lively and vibrant
composition. The masterful design and superb technique of
execution suggest that the piece was made for the court. It
was either used as a long runner spread on the floor or as a
barricade held up by attendants during official parades, as
represented in the §ahname-i Mehmed 7//. 85
A çatma nihale of an extraordinary size, 490 by 268 centi-
meters (16 feet 1 inch by 8 feet 9'/2 inches), was constructed
of four loom widths with a border on four sides (152). Its
field is decorated with an overall grid pattern composed of
pairs of palm trees that create crosses; between them are

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