Object Note
Part of a Lot with six more pieces (ZI2021.500972.1 EGYPT, ZI2021.500972.2 EGYPT, ZI2021.500972.3 EGYPT, ZI2021.500972.4 ASIA, ZI2021.500972.5 ASIA, and ZI2021.500972.7 ASIA) also in the collection.
Object History
This piece was purchased by Dr. Reem Tariq El Mutwalli from Kerry Tailor Auctions, London in 2021 to add to and enhance The Zay Initiative collections.
A seasoned auctioneer with experience from one of London’s most famous auction houses and more than 40 years in this business, Ms. Taylor is not just the founder of Kerry Taylor Auctions but also an honourable member of the advisory board of The Zay Initiative.
Object Features
This is a black velvet front open jacket (taksiri) in an Ottoman style-inspired workmanship. Embellished with metal thread embroidery done in (couching)/(tahriri) style with possibly gilded gold thread this jacket features long loose sleeves with embroidered cuffs, neck and hemlines.
With an ‘A’ line cut, the jacket displays floral designs. The top part on both sides of the front opening features a central floral motif flanked by two sets of palm olive wreath-like shapes. The central flower is extended on the top by a narrow branch with flanking foliage and smaller flowers. Three small flowers flank the base of the olive wreath.
Similar motifs and patterns are seen on the bottom comers of the jacket on either side but tilted at an angle. The hem and the necklines feature repeats of floral motifs along a central wavy vine. The same pattern is reflected on the top of each sleeve as well as the cuffs. The side and the arm seams are embellished with a thin line of zigzag pattern.
While the entire embellishment is primarily done using couching style embroidery using gilded metal thread, coloured highlights are also seen in blue, pink, and (coral) silk floss threads embroidered in (satin_stich) style. The jacket is lined with a coral pink silk fabric of (satin) weave.
It has been mentioned by the previous collector that it was a factory-made jacket, while that may be true given the jacket is completely machine stitched, the significant lack of any factory labels suggests that perhaps it was made in a tailoring and embroidery workshop rather than a factory.
It is worth noting that Bethlehem dresses are traditionally paired with a taksiri jacket, and the distinctive item holds a special place in Bethlehem’s fashion. While a typical Bethlehem taksiri tends to have short half sleeves and a waist-length cut, this particular jacket differs with its longer sleeves and overall length. Though still classified as a taksiri, this design draws inspiration from the contemporary British military jackets worn by officers in messes and canteens.
Links
- Stillman, Yedida Kalfon, and Norman A. Stillman. Arab Dress a Short History from the Dawn of Islam to Modern Times. Brill, 2000.
- Weber, Heike. ANAT and Her Hero BAAL The Embroidery Pattern Language of the Levant. Syrian Handcrafts Limited.
- Kalter, Johannes. Arts and Crafts of Syria. Thames and Hudson, 1993.
- Kawar, Widad, and Tania Tamari Nasir. Palestinian Embroidery: Traditional “Fallahi” Cross-Stitch. Al-Moʼassasa al-Aarabiyya Lildirasat Wa al-Nashr, 2003.
- Kawar, Widad Kamel. Threads of Identity: Preserving Palestinian Costume and Heritage. Rimal Publications, 2011.
- Dimitrova, Pamela. “The Traditional Clothing of Palestine.” Arab America, 30 Oct. 2019, https://www.arabamerica.com/the-traditional-clothing-of-palestine/
- Suleman, Fahmida. Textiles of the Middle East and Central Asia – the Fabric of Life. Thames & Hudson Ltd, 2017.
- ÇATALKAYA GÖK, Ebru. “Çi̇tari̇ fabric.” TURKISH ONLINE JOURNAL OF DESIGN ART AND COMMUNICATION, vol. 11, no. 2, 2021, pp. 443–453, https://doi.org/10.7456/11102100/008
- Van der Walt, Ansie. “Introduction to Embroidery from the Arab World.” Weave a Real Peace Creating a Connected Textile Community, 1 May 2022, https://weavearealpeace.org/warp-blog/embroidery-from-the-arab-world/
- https://artsandculture.google.com/story/aQUBtwXxH-DhKQ
- https://www.tirazcentre.org/en
- https://encyclocraftsapr.com/textiles-6/
- https://encyclocraftsapr.com/embroidery-4/
- https://trc-leiden.nl/trc/index.php/en/blog/1503-a-hebron-embroidery-recently-added-to-the-trc-collection-and-what-it-can-tell
- https://trc-leiden.nl/trc/index.php/en/blog/1316-palestinian-embroidery
- https://trc-leiden.nl/trc/index.php/en/blog/1281-a-palestinian-embroidery-sampler
- https://trc-leiden.nl/trc/index.php/en/blog/1149-embroidered-dresses-from-the-southern-region-of-jordan-ma-an-city
- https://trc-leiden.nl/trc/index.php/en/blog/1183-a-changing-tradition
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