Cover

Square cover of silk brocade woven with metal-wrapped thread. Field patterned with a floral ogival lattice design. Each cartouche frames a single bunch of three flowers typical of the Persianate style; the motif is repeated in alternating directions. Silver gilt-wrapped yellow threads form a golden ground; most of the metal has worn off. Patterned with orange-pink, light blue, dark green, and white threads. The cover has been stitched together in multiple pieces. These silk brocades, called termeh when patterned with boteh, were a specialty of Kashan and Isfahan in Iran (Persia) dating back to at least the seventeenth century. Used primarily for luxury garments, they were often repurposed into decorative covers. This cover has been backed with red cloth and faced with a plain-weave cotton dyed bright cobalt blue. Related objects in the Penn Museum: A581, A583, A584, A585, A588, A590, A591, A592; see A585 especially. Square with a design of red, blue and green flowers on a gold ground in between wavy strips of orange with blue dots. Has a red backing with a blue border.