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Alhambra hanging fragment with decorated bands
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
The ability to harmoniously combine intricate designs and varied colors was one of the unparalleled achievements of Islamic art. This silk curtain fragment reveals juxtapositions of large- and small-scaled patterns, woven with bold contrasting colors in bands of varying widths. Segments of Arabic text have been woven into the design. The repeated phrase good fortune and prosperity is woven in ivory silk in one of the narrow bands. In the wide band at the bottom, Kufic script in yellow silk extends the word beatitude .
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineAlhambra hanging fragment with decorated bands, 1300s. Spain, Granada. Silk: lampas and taqueté weave; overall: 37.8 x 25.1 cm (14 7/8 x 9 7/8 in.); mounted: 46.7 x 28.9 cm (18 3/8 x 11 3/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund, 1927.378
