An Ottoman silk embroidered quilt cover (yorgan yüzü), Ottoman Empire,

This embroidery with a design of ascending undulating stems issuing carnation palmettes, pomegranates and curled over 'saz' leaves is based on a traditional Ottoman composition in existence by the 14th century and adapted across a broad spectrum of art forms including the textiles, metalwork and ceramics designed for the Ottoman court. Examples include two sets of Iznik tiles illustrated as plate 10 in Erber, Christian, (ed.), A Wealth of Silk and Velvet, Ottoman Fabrics and Embroideries, Bremmen, 1983 and Belger Krody, Sumru, Flowers of Silk and Gold, Four Centuries of Ottoman Embroidery, (ex. cat.), Washington, D. C., 2000, p. 65, fig. 25. 

This arrangement of popular Ottoman floral motifs, characterised by the lyrical manner in which the 'saz' leaf curves across, in an opposing direction to the meandering vine from which it grows, was also used on 16th century silk and metal-thread brocade (kemha) fabric of the highest quality such as that formed as a boy's kaftan found in the tomb of Ahmed I and now in the Topkapi Saray Museum, Istanbul, Inv. No. 13/267, see: Rogers, J. M., (ed.), Topkapi Textiles, New York, 1986, no. 30, and a fragment from the Textile Museum, Washington, D. C., inv. no. 1.68.1952, see: Belger Krody, op. cit., p. 56, fig. 14.    

Versions of the design evolved throughout the seventeenth century and were disseminated throughout Europe under the influence of the Ottoman Empire. Its popularity ensured it was also developed into a pattern suitable for embroidery. Ottoman embroideries form a distinctive genre, whilst their decoration sits squarely within the aesthetic exemplified by the examples in other disciplines cited above.  Ottoman needlework was highly prized in Europe; both Catherine de Medici (in the 1570’s), and Marie de Medici some 50 years later, employed Ottoman needlewomen in their households.  What is not entirely clear is the purpose served by these large embroideries; they were for domestic not public use and thus not normally visible to the European chroniclers of Ottoman life. A clue may be the panels illustrated in an engraving of a harem scene in the Codex Vindobonensis, c.1590, Erber, Christian, op.cit., pl.15, p.70, which appear to be hangings rather than rigid tile panels, suggesting they could have been used either as wall decoration for plain walls, or as dust covers for tile or velvet panels. Alternative uses might be curtain panels, quilt covers or as dust sheets to swathe the stacks of bedding which were piled up during the day. The large panels are of two types: those with borders to all four sides and those with borders at each end only (as in the present example) and these may have been for different uses. The use and purposes of the smaller bohça, (wrapping cloths) are well known as this tradition was continuous right through the 19^th century: the patterns are complementary to those of the large panels and they may have been made as sets, as western households of the same period would have had sets of case covers for precious upholstery.

For related embroideries see one in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, acc. no. T.91-1950, published in Ellis, Marianne and Wearden, Jennifer, Ottoman Embroidery, London, 2001, pl. 17, (which is also bordered at top and bottom only and has very similar small red lobed flowers); Taylor, Roderick R., 'Quilt Facings and Mirror Covers, Turkish Domestic Embroideries', Hali, Issue 51, p. 118 (also in Wearden, ibid., pl. 16.); Sotheby's New York, 8 December 1990, lot 14 and Sotheby's London, 28 April 1992, lot 7.