Ruyi Qaba 1985.5.1, Located at the Textile Museum in Washington D.C.
Early Date: 1600
Late Date: 1799
Materials: silk/metallic-wrapped silk
Structure/Technique: plain weave/taffeta~supplementary-weft patterning
Note: Finish lines visible along shoulder: 13 row wefts;2-3 yarns, including foil-wrapped yarns, run together; yellow and orange stripes alternate
Yarn: supplementary weft;sik;UNTWISTED;;;multiple colors
Yarn: supplementary weft;metallic-wrapped silk;S-WRAPPED;;26/CM;
Yarn: warp;silk;SLIGHT Z? UNTWISTED ;;65/CM;BLUEred
Yarn: weft;silk;UNTWISTED;;26/CM;purple
Markings: A detail of this object is illustrated in the video “The Isfahan of Shah Abbas” (1987)
Similar coat was published in “A ‘Safavid Cadabi in the Royal Ontario Museum Reconsidered” article in The Journal of the Society for Iranian Studies.
“A very diverting sight to see when one walks out or in the Publick Places, a vast number of People, all in Party colours clothed in Stuffs glittering with the Gold, the Lustre and Vivacity of the Colours.”
John Chardin’s description of a gathering of Persian in the late Safavid period animates the jackets and coats illustrated here. (TM 1985.5.1, TM 3.94) Delightful to the eye in their bright colors, rich trimmings materials and exotic cuts, historic Persian garments are difficult to date. Chardin’s off-quoted remark on the constancy of Persian fashion is endorsed by Cornelius Le. Bruyn in 1704.
“The Persians never alter their fashions and have preserved that air of grandeur which prevailed among them in the days of Alexander.”
These two coats are cut from brocaded taffeta and closely resembles the Safavid cadabi (cat. No 43[TM 3.112]) in style. The patterns are based on small technical repeat units deployed in straight repeat. The tiny motifs, reduced and simplified versions of late Safavid bird and flower designs, become rather inchoate when examined close range. In both fabrics brocading wefts are used to alternate the internal coloring of the motifs. Strips of metal-ground textiles with flower and bird designs woven on the bias are used as decorative borders. Multiple edging bands are formed of thing strips of solid-color cotton and glazed cotton qalamkar. (gem/C.Bier, 1987)
Citation: Welch, Anthony. The Isfahan of Shah ‘Abbas. Fogg Fine Art Films, Harvard University, 1987
Citation: Dal Farra, Marta “A Safavid Cadabi in the Royal Ontario Museum Reconsidered” vol. 25, nos. 1-2. The Carpets and Textiles of Iran, New Perspective in Research. The Journal of the Society for Iranian Studies. 1993; pp. 81-90
Dimensions:
Length: 42.36”, 107.5 cm: neck to hem
Width: 62.06”,157.5 cm:cuff to cuff
Observations from Textile Museum Visit by Melinda Haren, Jennifer Davis, and Rose Otter: The garment is lined in a heavy qalamkar (block printed) cotton. The garment is lined in the same manner as a suit (i.e. faced on all edges) and the sleeves are completely lined. Facing was completed in plain, blue cotton of a slightly lighter weight of than the lining.
Seams appear to have been sewn with a fine, running stitch, though this was difficult to tell as we could not view the inside of the garment underneath the lining. The trim was sewn on with a fine, overcast stitch.
