Textile with calligraphic decoration - Lot 345

Textile with calligraphic decoration Cotton embroidered with polychrome and metallic threads Turkey, early 20th century 132 x 126 cm (stains) This red cotton textile is decorated with threads of various colors and thick metallic thread embroidery. It features the tughra of Mehmed VI (r. 1918-1922) in a central floral medallion and four corner medallions. Various calligraphic cartouches punctuate the decoration and feature different sayings, such as: "The best of companions, the precious book", "Man's misfortune comes from his tongue", "Among the harbingers of ruin, the company of people", "The hearts of kings is God's treasure on earth", "If calamity is good for someone, his gratitude is taken into account". These calligraphies are set against a backdrop of arabesques, floral motifs and mandorles. Given the format and organization of the decoration, this may well have been a turban-bearer.