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Source Description
Ottoman manufacturers also wove luxury silks with Christian images for the largest markets outside of the reigning sultans, whose need for luxury fabrics was voracious, targeting the Balkans, Eastern Europe, and the state of Muscovy (Moscow), which lacked silk industries. Worn as majestic church vestments, they were prized signifiers of the power and wealth of the Eastern Orthodox church. <br><br>Christian imagery is often displayed in small medallion patterns, as seen here, woven in the standard Ottoman lampas technique. In this highest grade lampas with extensive gilt-metal thread, small medallions enclose half-length images of Christ in a benedictory pose alternating with crosses. The abbreviated inscription in the roundel, IC XC, translates as "Jesus Christ."
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
95721
label
Lampas with roundels of the image of Christ in benedictory pose
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
95721
contentType
object
title
Lampas with roundels of the image of Christ in benedictory pose
description
Ottoman manufacturers also wove luxury silks with Christian images for the largest markets outside of the reigning sultans, whose need for luxury fabrics was voracious, targeting the Balkans, Eastern Europe, and the state of Muscovy (Moscow), which lacked silk industries. Worn as majestic church vestments, they were prized signifiers of the power and wealth of the Eastern Orthodox church. <br><br>Christian imagery is often displayed in small medallion patterns, as seen here, woven in the standard Ottoman lampas technique. In this highest grade lampas with extensive gilt-metal thread, small medallions enclose half-length images of Christ in a benedictory pose alternating with crosses. The abbreviated inscription in the roundel, IC XC, translates as "Jesus Christ."
date
1550–1650
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q79477787
genreSpecific
Textile
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 36.5 x 33.7 cm (14 3/8 x 13 1/4 in.); Mounted: 41.3 x 38.7 cm (16 1/4 x 15 1/4 in.)
cul
Turkey, Bursa, Ottoman period
accession
1916.1423
Source extras
tec
Silk and gilt-metal thread: lampas
tombstone
Lampas with roundels of the image of Christ in benedictory pose, 1550–1650. Turkey, Bursa, Ottoman period. Silk and gilt-metal thread: lampas; overall: 36.5 x 33.7 cm (14 3/8 x 13 1/4 in.); mounted: 41.3 x 38.7 cm (16 1/4 x 15 1/4 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Wade, 1916.1423
collection
T - Islamic
inscriptions
inscription
Inscription around the crosses: "IC" (Iesus), "XP" (Christos), "N K" (Kyrios).
sortorder
1
inscription
Greek inscription in lower corner in silver thread: "OPOC CINA" (Opus Sina).
sortorder
2
inscription
Inscription in the roundel flanking Jesus's halo: "IC XC" (Jesus Christ).
sortorder
3
didYouKnow
Around the crosses in silver thread is the inscription, IC XC N K meaning "Jesus Christ Victorious."
citations
citation
Mackie, Louise W. <em>Symbols of Power: Luxury Textiles from Islamic Lands, 7th-21st Century</em>. Cleveland; New Haven: Cleveland Museum of Art; Yale University Press, 2015.
page_number
Reproduced: P. 321, fig. 8.37; Mentioned: P. 322
citation
Phillips, Amanda. <em>Sea Change: Ottoman Textiles between the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean</em>. 2021.
page_number
p. 110, fig. 3.10
creditline
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Wade
updatedAt
2026-05-29 05:08:32.416000
sourceId
95721
dept
Textiles
coll
T - Islamic
med
Silk and gilt-metal thread: lampas
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
f907a163bd6532d2