{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O85243"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O85243/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AF8448/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AF8448/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AF8448","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011EU4657","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O85243/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O85243","accessionNumber":"T.71-1914","objectType":"Carpet","titles":[{"title":"The Ushak Carpet","type":"popular title"}],"summaryDescription":"The repeating pattern on this carpet was used in other Ottoman textiles. It evolved from the carpet designs with a central medallion that originated in Iran. These were adopted by Turkish weavers during the late 15th century.\r\n\r\nThis carpet was made in Usak, in western Turkey, a major centre of carpet production. Weavers there began to use new designs based on medallions of different types during the reign of Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror (1451–1481). Mehmet himself probably commissioned these designs. They were then used in commercial production for several centuries afterwards.","physicalDescription":"A large rectangular carpet of symmetrical design. Overall the design appears to be a large scale ogival pattern of medallions and rosettes in off-set rows. A central medallion of floral and vegetal motifs becomes the dominant design element here, surrounded by four large rosettes in half-view. The central design elements are flanked by a border of smaller floral motifs. Each design element consists of intricate, meandering and interlacing floral and vegetal motifs to make a highly decorative surface. Executed in deep blue, yellow, and cream, on a rich red ground.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"wool","id":"AAT243430"}],"techniques":[{"text":"knotted","id":"AAT53635"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Wool warps Z2S, wool wefts and pile","categories":[{"text":"Islam","id":"THES48932"},{"text":"Textiles","id":"THES48885"}],"styles":[{"text":"Ottoman","id":"AAT21614"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"MES","id":"THES48607"},"images":["2006AF8448","2011EU4657"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"42 (VA)","id":"THES49806"},"free":"","case":"WE15","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Carpet","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Usak","id":"x34585"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"probably"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1500","earliest":"1495-01-01","latest":"1504-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"531","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"250","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"max dimensions including board","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"This style of carpet is known as an Ushak, after the town in west-central Anatolia (modern Turkey) where they are thought to have been made. The large medallion in the center and the side medallions with lobed stars, impressive enough for their size, are rendered even more striking by the contrasting colours used by the weavers. The compelling abstract complexity of the carpet as a whole demonstrates the Ottomans' commitment to aniconism in decoration, and forms an instructive contrast to the figural motifs gloried in by their rivals the Safavids.","briefDescription":"Carpet with a medallion design, Turkey (probably Usak), ca. 1500.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"Tim Stanley (ed.), with Mariam Rosser-Owen and Stephen Vernoit, <i>Palace and Mosque: Islamic Art from the Middle East</i>, London, V&A Publications, 2004","id":"AUTH351313"},"details":"p.58","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Franses, M. and Pinner, R. 'The 'Classical' Carpets of the 15th to 17th Centuries' (part 1 of an article on 'Turkish Carpets in the Victoria & Albert Museum'), <u>Hali</u> 6:4, 1984, 371 (NB photos for figs. 19 and 20 are reversed)."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"roundels","id":"AAT10267"},{"text":"rosettes","id":"AAT9972"},{"text":"floral patterns","id":"AAT10135"},{"text":"vegetal decoration","id":"x39885"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Jameel Gallery \r\n\r\nCarpet with Medallion Design\r\nTurkey, probably Uşak\r\nAbout 1500\r\n\r\nCarpet designs with a central medallion originated in Iran and were adopted by Turkish weavers during the late 15th century. In this carpet, the design has evolved into a repeating pattern of the type found in other Ottoman textiles.\r\n\r\nWool warps (Z2S), wool wefts and pile\r\n\r\nMuseum no. T.71-1914\r\n","date":{"text":"Jameel Gallery","earliest":"2006-07-20","latest":null}},{"text":"THE DESIGN OF THIS 16TH CENTURY CARPET is surprisingly curvilinear for a Turkish carpet. The symmetrical knot used here lend itself to straight, angular lines and it can be seen that they weavers were experiencing a little difficulty in knotting the rounded outline of the central medallion. It is thought possible that this type of design was influenced by the relatively large number of medallion carpets woven in north-west Persia during the first half of the 16th century (see the Ardabil Carpet to the left).\r\n\r\nTurkish carpets of this design are known as Medallion Ushak carpets. The fringe of this piece is not original and the right hand outer border appears to have been added from a 19th century carpet.","date":{"text":"Used until 10/1997","earliest":null,"latest":"1997-10-31"}}],"partNumbers":["T.71-1914"],"accessionNumberNum":"71","accessionNumberPrefix":"T","accessionYear":1914,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LP9284","2019LV2922"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-12","recordCreationDate":"2003-11-06","availableToBook":false}}