Page 183 - ART OF THE ISLAMIC AND INDIAN WORLDS Carpets, Ceramics Objects, Christie's London Oct..27, 2022

164
A CALLIGRAPHIC GREEN SILK LAMPAS
TOMB COVER FRAGMENT
OTTOMAN EGYPT, 17TH CENTURY
The green silk ground woven with cursive
inscriptions set within alternating chevron bands
48æ x 29qin. (124 x 75cm.)
£40,000-60,000 US$46,000-69,000
€46,000-68,000

INSCRIPTIONS:
The main chevron with the shahada, with Qur'an
I.144 above and the affirmation 'may Allah be
pleased with Abu Bakr, 'Umar, 'Uthman, 'Ali, and all
other companions [of the Prophet]' below. Between
the chevrons, the alternating phrases 'Allah,
Muhammad' and 'Allah, my Lord'.
Silk lampas textiles like the present lot, decorated
with a distinctive zig-zag pattern, were made
to hang in the interiors of the Kaaba and the
mosques of Mecca and Medina. Unlike the
kiswa, which was changed annually, the interior
textiles of the haramayn were only changed on
the accession of a new caliph (Venetia Porter,
Hajj: Journey to the Heart of Islam, London, 2012,
p.262). Though textiles of this type are known
on red and black grounds, those woven on green
were reserved to be hung in places of particular
esteem, such as in the doorway of the Masjid al-
Nabawi or over the tombs of important religious
personages. Embroidered on the present lot is a
Qur’anic quotation which discusses the correct
direction of prayer, appropriate for a textile
*163 intended for the holy places. The blessing on the
AN OTTOMAN METAL-THREAD EMBROIDERED CALLIGRAPHIC PANEL Rashidun caliphs hints that this textile may have
TURKEY, 19TH CENTURY been draped over the tomb of Abu Bakr or ‘Umar.
The red silk field with elegant metal thread embroidery in dival technique, with vegetal motifs forming a
central cartouche surrounded by four circular medallions, the inscription in thuluth comprising Qur'an X A comparable example, on a black ground but
(surat al-yunis) v. 62-3 in cartouche with names of Allah, Muhammad, 'Abu Bakr and Umar in medallions, with identical inscriptions to the present lot can
backed, areas of wear be found in the collection of the Topkapi palace
9ft.5 x 5ft.5in. (288 x 166cm.) in Istanbul (H. Tezcan, Sacred Covers of Islam’s
Holy Shrines, Istanbul. 2017, p.166). Seventeenth
£25,000-35,000 US$29,000-40,000
€29,000-40,000 century green-ground examples were sold in
these Rooms 23 October 2007, lot 34, and 26
This panel is finely embroidered in the Ottoman dival technique which was used for production of similar April 2012, lot 279.
th
panels such as the 19 century curtains covering the Rawdah a-Mutahara (see for example Hulya Tezcan,
Sacred Covers of Islamic Holy Shrines, Istanbul, 2017, pl. 84, pp.332-333). The dival technique differs A carbon date on a sample from the textile,
from the earlier methods of embroidery and produces extremely detailed and sharp designs as seen on performed by RCD RadioCarbon Dating, reference
our example. This is as a result of embroidering the gold and silver threads on to cardboard templates. RCD-9594, on 9 December 2021, gives a 68.3%
Although it is not possible to link this covering to a specific monument, it is highly likely that it was used probability of 1520-1642 and a a 95.4% probability
as a wall hanging or curtain for a religious monument. The use of the two verses from surat al-yunis are of 1490-1651, confirming the proposed dating of
protective and amuletic excerpts from the Qur’an which were used on textiles, architecture and objects this lot.
to enhance their talismanic properties

180 In addition to the hammer price, a Buyer’s Premium (plus VAT) is payable. Other taxes and/or an Artist Resale Royalty 181
fee are also payable if the lot has a tax or λ symbol. Check Section D of the Conditions of Sale at the back of this catalogue.