OTTOMAN VOIDED VELVET CUSHION COVER DECORATED WITH A SEMSE MEDALLION

Woven with a border running around a central şemse medallion in metal-thread against a red velvet ground.

Stylized medallion motifs are known as şemse in Turkish, a word deriving from the Arabic shams meaning sun. They are used as frame for diverse designs and arranged in various ways that plays a fundamental role in compositional layouts. Foremost among the arts in which şemse medallions have been used is bookbinding. In time these medallions became oval in shape and sometimes pendants were added at both ends. They frequently feature darts drawn around the edges that are assumed to represent sunrays. For further information please see, Motif from the Sadberk Hanım Museum Collection (written by Turgut Saner, Şebnem Eryavuz and Hülya Bilgi), Sadberk Hanım Museum, Istanbul, 2020, p. 180.

The present velvet cushion cover features decorative elements characteristic of 17th century Ottoman velvets. The stylized tulips on both sides of the arch surrounding the central şemse can be seen on a velvet from the first half of the 17th century published in Christian Erber, A Wealth of Silk and Velvet: Ottoman Fabrics and Embroideries, Edition Temmen, Bremen, 1993, p. 177. In another 17th century Ottoman velvet cushion cover, the corners framing the şemse also feature stylized tulips comparable with the present piece. Please see the exhibition catalogue, Çatma & Kemha – Ottoman Silk Textiles, Texts written by Hülya Bilgi, Exhibition held between 14 April – 10 June 2007, Sadberk Hanım Museum, Istanbul, 2007, p. 107.

Provenance: Ex-Private UK Collection

Ottoman Empire Ottoman Palace Workshop

17th Century

Dimensions: 120 x 50 cm.