“Stop to admire this exquisite Moroccan textile panel. Its luxurious materials and complex weaving techniques offer a glimpse into the sophisticated artistry of the Saadi dynasty.”
This long, narrow panel of intricately woven silk and gilt metal is a striking example of Moroccan textile art from the Saadi dynasty. Its vibrant stripes of plain weave, interspersed with supplementary patterning, create a dynamic visual rhythm. The use of gilt-metal-strip-wrapped silk adds a luxurious shimmer, catching the light as you move. Look closely at the bands of two- and three-color complementary weft plain weave; these demonstrate sophisticated weaving techniques. The inner warps, terminating in a plied warp fringe with discontinuous bast fiber warps, cleverly imitate an attached woven fringe, showcasing the textile maker's skill and attention to detail. This piece reflects the rich artistic traditions and craftsmanship of 16th to 17th-century Morocco.
- Artist
- Hieronymus Bosch
- Date
- 1500
- Medium
- Silk and gilt-metal-strip-wrapped silk, stripes of plain weave, plain weave with supplementary patterning warps, and bands of two- and three-color complementary weft plain weave with inner warps terminating in a plied warp fringe with bands of supplementary discontinuous bast fiber warps imitating an attached woven fringe
- Location
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Dimensions
- 258.2 × 85.8 cm (101 5/8 × 33 3/4 in.)
- Collection
- Textiles
- Culture
- Morocco
- Credit line
- Gift of Mrs. Gulnar Kheirallah Bosch
What to Notice
Four details hide in plain sight. Here’s where to look.
The shimmering gilt-metal-strip-wrapped silk woven throughout.
The subtle texture of the plain weave stripes.
The bands of two- and three-color complementary weft plain weave.
The plied warp fringe at the bottom, mimicking an attached fringe.
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Hieronymus Bosch
1450–1516 · Northern Low CountriesHieronymus Bosch, a Dutch painter from the Northern Low Countries, filled his oak panels with fantastic illustrations of religious concepts, from the Garden of Eden to macabre depictions of hell.
Further Works by Bosch
The Garden of Paradise
1495 · Art Institute of Chicago
The Conjurer (The Juggler)
1502
The Adoration of the Magi
Noordbrabants Museum
The Last Judgment
1478 · Art Institute of Chicago
Saint Francis Heals the Grievous Wounds of One John at Lerida, plate two from Woodcuts from Books of the XVI Century
1512 · Art Institute of Chicago
Mercury Lulling to Sleep Argus, from Landscapes with Biblical and Mythological Scenes
Art Institute of Chicago
Mercury with Head of Argus in His Hand, from Landscapes with Biblical and Mythological Scenes
Art Institute of Chicago
Shrove Tuesday
Art Institute of Chicago
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