Floor Spread (sofra) with Design of Tulips and Pomegranates

This circular shaped sofra is filled with tulip motifs characteristic of Ottoman embroidery. Tulips were originally a wild flower growing in Central Asia, and by the late seventeenth century Ottoman artists had perfected representations of the tulip form. In this example medallions enclose a central pomegranate flanked on either side by tulips with three clearly separated petals. Alternating with these medallions is the outline of a very full, round tulip with a serrated tip that contains within it another slimmer tulip with two almond-shaped leaves. In preparation for dining, a sofra was spread on the floor as the “table” upon which a tray of food was placed. Sometimes a cylindrical stand was put on top of the sofra for serving. Round sofras from the seventeenth century rarely survive.