Patterns of Luxury: Islamic Textiles, 11th–17th Centuries

Patterns of Luxury: Islamic Textiles, 11th–17th Centuries showcases rare and magnificent examples of SLAM’s collection of early Islamic textiles, including many that have not been on view in decades and some that have never before been exhibited at the Museum.

Textiles have had an important place in Islamic civilization since the seventh century. As the influence of Islam radiated outward from Arabia through conquest and trade, textile patterns absorbed various local design aesthetics. Featured in this exhibition are works spanning three continents—Africa, Europe, and Asia. They demonstrate the diversity of textile traditions with luxurious examples from Egypt in the Fatimid (909–1171) and Ottoman (1517–1867) periods, Islamic Spain during the Nasrid dynasty (1232–1492), Ottoman Turkey (1281–1924), Persia (present-day Iran) during the Safavid dynasty (1501–1736), and India during the Mughal period (1526–1858).

The exhibition showcases textiles with inscriptions (tiraz) that were popular during the early and middle Islamic periods—the 7th through 13th centuries—along with several pieces from Nasrid Spain that show the influence of architectural decoration and were hung as curtains or murals. Also included are carpet fragments and rugs from Egypt, Spain, Turkey, Iran, and India, collected by St. Louisan James F. Ballard (1851–1931), whose extraordinary collection is divided between The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Saint Louis Art Museum.

Patterns of Luxury is curated by Philip Hu, curator of Asian art.