Ask the Scholar

Silk fabrics embroidered with gold thread appear to have ranked second only to gemstone-embellished textiles. Both were more prestigious than brocaded silks, which are more numerous. Embroidery was an essential component of daily life because it served innumerable covering functions. In this vibrant example with European influence, blossoming plants and foliate motifs embellish the field and border. Gold, silver, and silk thread cover paper templates which are secured with thread raised from underneath, called couching. The padded blossoms are covered with several types of silver thread for dazzling effects in a style popular during the 18th and 19th centuries at the imperial Topkapi Palace in Istanbul as well as provincial centers.