[0:07]In early 2022, a special exhibit opened at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery in Washington, DC. The exhibition, The Fashioning of an Empire, The Safavid Textiles from the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha.
[0:27]The primary focuses of the presentations is on textiles. Featuring some splendid, nearly one of a kind pieces that make the two large Persian carpets seem almost commonplace by comparison. Even though they are exquisite examples of the renowned carpets.
[0:57]This exhibit provides a rare look at the fashion in the Islamic world of the 17th century. In Iran, as in the rest of the Islamic world, fabrics were first and foremost fashioned into garments, and these garments signal a person's social and economic status. Here are two portfolio pictures that are part of the exhibit. They are labeled Isfahan Dandy's. One youth has casually tied his jacket over his shoulder, while the other is wearing a long coat and holding a falcon in his gloved hand. Both garments appear to have been cut from a gold brocade silk, similar to the examples that are on exhibit. Silks, velvet, and cotton played an equally important role in furnishings, upholstery, covers, and curtains. They facilitated a range of social and ceremonial activities to accompanied various pastimes and lifestyles. We maintain some of these traditions today.
[2:14]The 12 pieces of textiles from the late 16th through early 18th century came from the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Cutter. In addition, three full-size portraits accompanied them to Washington. These portraits were complimented by about a dozen 16th and 17th century folio-size paintings from the Sackle Gallery storage.
[2:49]Shah Abbas I was instrumental in developing the necessary trade routes to the far-flung corners of the Eurasian continent. This ensured the availability of raw materials for artistic creation, as well as enabling the exports of fine carpets, silks and velvets, especially the ones with metal ground, to both India and Europe.
[3:19]The exhibit will be at the Sackle Gallery through May 15th, 2022.
