Mae Festa 50 Years of Collecting Textiles - Peter Pap Oriental Rugs

AFRICA – Maghrib
Bridal Veil (front and back)
Early 20 th Century
Arab Nomads, Tunisia
Metal strip-wrapped and pulled openwork
on two-sided silk twill.
39 x 57 cm 15½ x 20 in
This veil compensates for its effacing function by being
remarkably cheerful in color and design; somewhat acid
green and strong orange colors working harmoniously
with the golden metal. By virtue of the pulled technique,
each figure (bird, fish) and form (heart, diamond,
hexagon, square) is a feast for the eyes. The upper, more
pictorially interesting register is essentially a tree of life
which correlates far to the east, such as Persian and
Indian “kalamkari,” and Isfahani folk embroideries.
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