Doe and Hope

Description

The pale gold velvet panel, with a richly embroidered wide border, depicting peacocks, urns, and floral and foliate tendrils, expertly worked in gold metalled threads and brightly coloured silks, in shades of blue, turquoise, pink, and purple, backed with cream cotton a braided edging and hanging corner loops, the whole surviving the zentihs of the nineteenth century.

Condition wise the velvet ground has some loss of pile in places, though overall it remains in good clean order with the colours remaining vivid.

Working with fine silk floss in combination with metal elements was an established practice among professional embroiderers by the sixteenth century. These types of embroideries demonstrate a high level of skill in combining metal elements with silk floss and a sophisticated use of metal strips and wires of different thicknesses, widths, and shapes to create a broad range of effects. The varied reflective surfaces of the metals create rich and changeable tonal effects on the foundation fabrics and the polychrome silk embroidery threads.

This work has similarities with that of Qajar Persian panels made in the first half of the nineteenth century. It may well be Persian but perhaps is more likely inspired by and of European origin or possibly that of India.

A beautifully embroidered piece in very good condition, adding a glorious golden softness to any room.