The architectural remains of the early Muslim world give us a schematic impression of their former function and appearance. A hint of their interior decoration is provided by the great number of textiles in the form of curtains, wall hangings, cushions, and rugs that once furnished and enlivened such spaces. Today, these furnishings largely survive only as fragments like this one.
The depiction of a fantastically plumed bird on a red ground links this work to a group of textiles similarly woven in wool and featuring single motifs, such as birds, humans, and floral designs, in repeating medallions on a red ground. As with much of the group, the designs here are drawn from earlier Persian sources; the pearl-like necklace just visible around the bird’s neck and at the top of its wing derives from Sasanian art. It seems there was a widespread taste for this type of interior décor. As such, red-ground textiles were produced in multiple locations in Egypt, Syria, Iran, and Iraq. LACMA’s fragment was likely woven in Iran or Iraq based on its Z-spun wool yarn.
2024
