Çatma Textile
170 x 149 cm (5' 7" x 4' 11")
Turkey, 17th or 18th century
Condition: good for its age, some abrasions, partially corroded silk, clear signs of use, backed with fabric
Silk and metal threads on cotton

Turkish velvets, known as Çatma, have survived mainly as cushions, whereas larger examples that served as wall hangings are significantly rarer. This piece is particularly striking for its complex design, which is reminiscent of Safavid spiral-vine carpets. Cartouches with inscriptions also appear on carpets and silk fabrics from this period, particularly on carpets of the 16th-century "Salting" group, such as the example in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris (HALI 126, page 103).
The border of our velvet features Arabic proverbs and aphorisms. The pointed oval medallion bears a complex design reminiscent of certain Islamic ceramics. To produce wider velvets in cushion formats, the two halves were woven one after the other using the same settings on the draw loom and then joined together. As a result, the inner design of the medallion is rotationally symmetrical.
A velvet loom is far more complex than a standard loom, and to produce a two-coloured velvet one requires two pile-forming warps as well as another warp for the foundation weave. It is therefore hardly surprising that this elegant and precious textile was woven more than once. A similar piece was sold at Christie's on 26 October 2017 as lot 254 for £32,500. That example, however, was in better condition, although Christie's dated it to the 19th century.