Asset number
508071001
Description
This fragment has been embroidered in satin stitch through two layers of fabrics: a white twill damask with floral pattern backed with a plain woven white silk. There is an intact selvedge, about 0.6 cm wide, on the plain woven silk. The piece was originally sewn in the form of an oblong cover, folded in half and joined along one edge and at the two ends. The main embroidered motif is an entwining flower in dark green, blue, yellow, brown, beige and orange, then outlined in silver wrapped threads, in couching stitch. Small flying birds (probably ducks) are dotted among the flowers, which are worked with gold wrapped threads couched by brown silk thread. Weave structures: A. White twill damask with floral pattern Warp: silk, untwisted, single, white, 45 ends/cm; Weft: silk, untwisted, single, white, 26 lats/cm. Weave structure: 1/5Z twill for pattern on 2/1Z twill for foundation. B. White silk plain weave Warp: silk, untwisted, single, white, 58 ends/cm; Weft: silk, untwisted, single, white, 26 lats/cm. Weave structure: 1/1 plain weave. Embroidery: Threads: silk thread: Z twisted; Colours: dark green, blue, yellow, brown, beige and orange etc. Gold and silver threads: a silk core, Z-2S ply, white, wrapped with gold and silver foil, probably on cotton paper substrate. Stitch: satin stitch for the silk threads, couching stitch for the gold and silver threads.
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