Ottoman Silk Textiles of the Royal Museum of Art And History in Brussels

The aim of this catalogue is to publish the 43 Ottoman textiles which are preserved in the Royal Museums of Art and History. With the exception of two textiles, whose origins are unknown, these examples were woven in the major metropolitan weaving centres of the Ottoman Empire, namely Bursa, Istanbul and its environs. All date from the period between the late 15th to the early 19th century. Two types of weaves are represented. First of these are the velvets of which the collection counts 25 examples, one of them being an important cotma, probably the earliest preserved in the world. Follow the kemha or lampas fabrics, of which we preserve 16 specimens, 6 of them bearing inscriptions, the others decorated with various patterns. Finally, the collection also contains two silks in a distinctive weave, an extended tabby, of which one is a military banner. This publication puts on record a status quaestionis of the knowledge gathered over the last ten years and places it at the disposal of other museum curators and researchers. Special focus is laid on the scrutiny of weaving technology and natural dye analyses.De Jonghe, Daniel is the author of 'Ottoman Silk Textiles of the Royal Museum of Art And History in Brussels ' with ISBN 9782503511863 and ISBN 2503511864.