Turkey, Ottoman dynasty
second half of 16th century Cloth of gold and silver (setter)
silver and silk thread
cotton lining trimmed with satin
Topkapi Palace Museum, Istanbul, 13/9
This dazzling robe is one of the few extant examples with a gilt metal rather than silk ground, a requirement of the most luxurious cloths made of gold and silver. The large serrated medallions, filled with stylized carnations, were woven with three different colors of silks instead of the usual two, which further adds to the robe’s sumptuousness.