A large Ottoman voided silk velvet and metal-thread panel (çatma) with carnations, Bursa or Istanbul, late 16th century

woven in two parts, joined vertically at the centre, the voided crimson silk velvet ground woven with offset rows of palmettes incorporating a spray of alternating tulips, carnations and leaves, each palmette supported on a short stem with double leaf motif and each row interspersed with small artichoke motif, woven in green and crimson, metal thread highlights, mounted within a later glazed rectangular frame

Colours strong. This textile has been mounted onto a stretcher enclosed within a frame. The textile panel is composed of two joined vertical panels as visible in the photograph with the join being up the centre, including a small section which is slightly loose. There is evidence of the outer edge visible around the textile, bordering it. Each panel is: 63.5cm wide. The velvet (crimson and green) in generally very good overall condition,with some minor areas of loss to pile and elements of weakness to foundation, largely running horizontally through the middle (as visible from photograph), silver-threads generally are oxidised and with losses comenserate with age. This is a stunning, complete panel with a particularly beautiful cerise hue to the velvet ground. As viewed.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
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Although luxurious Ottoman fabrics, especially damasks from Bursa, were in great demand locally and abroad, it is rare to find complete çatma panels such as the present example in such good condition and in which even the narrow geometric inner frame is visible. Decorated with flowers closely associated with the Ottoman Court, it was designed in the so-called 'quatre-fleurs style', in honour of the four most commonly used flowers: the tulip, hyacinth, rose and the carnation. This large panel would most probably have been used either as a wall hanging, curtain or divan cover.

Often the designs on Ottoman textiles can be traced across a variety of decorative media, each sharing iconographic details guided by the nakkaşhane (royal design ateliers). In the present example, the floral arrangement demonstrates a complex imaginative quality. It is dominated by rows of large carnations (karanfil), one of the most beloved floral motifs, which by the end of the sixteenth century had developed into the serrated fan-shaped carnation palmette motif known as the 'fan' pattern, or yelpazeli. On this çatma, these were designed with a central hyacinth-containing pomegranate from which emanates alternating tulip and carnation blossoms with rosettes. Further intricate details include the tulips from which sprout these large carnations with saz leaf petals flanked by artichoke-like motifs. Contemporaneous records show that the silk weaving ateliers of Bursa and Istanbul were carefully monitored by the Ottoman Court, the number of looms and the usage of precious metals was strictly controlled. It would follow that the designs were also closely monitored and that weavers and designers were forced to follow strict guidelines as to form and content and could, therefore, only show their creativity and inventiveness within a very narrow remit.

With a limited number of ornaments and a restricted range of colour the Ottoman textile designers were able to achieve impressive versatility using barely perceptible changes and by constantly modifying composition and using alternative combinations of motifs. Although crimson velvet is the dominant colour, green, blue, ivory and yellow detailing can be used along with endless variations within the placement and usage of gilt and silver metal thread. A variation of this design on another full çatma panel is illustrated in: F. Sphuler, The Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection Carpets and Textiles, London, 1998, pp.220-261, pl.71. A further variant of this design, adapted to the yastik format, is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (inv. no. 17.120.123).  

For an example of a çatma fabric of identical design, with rows of palmette motifs incorporating small motifs, dated first half seventeenth century, in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (inv. no. 377-1895), see N. Gürsu, The Art of Turkish Weaving, Designs through the Ages, Istanbul, 1988, pg.91, 149, pl.168. An almost identical textile was sold in these rooms, An eye for opulence - Art of the Ottoman Empire, 24 April 2012, lot 125.

Such textiles have recently reached extraordinary results at auction, exemplified by the magnificent Ottoman textiles from the collection of Argine Benaki Salvago, sold in these rooms, 26 April 2017, lots 139-146.