Lot 26
A Sogdian silk samite fragment with confronting lions Central Asia, 7th-9th Century
25 October 2021, 11:00 BST
London, New Bond Street£10,000 - £15,000
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A Sogdian silk samite fragment with confronting lions
Central Asia, 7th-9th Century
Central Asia, 7th-9th Century
of irregular rectangular form, woven in red, blue and cream silks, depicting two large roundels enclosing two confronting lions standing on split palmettes with a stylised tulip between them, the roundel borders with quadrupeds, the interstices with partial floral quatrefoil motifs, mounted
54.7 x 26.8 cm.
54.7 x 26.8 cm.
Footnotes
By the 8th Century in Central Asia, the imagery of paired lions had a long-established association with power, kingship and protection in the ancient world. Such iconographical devices were employed extensively in luxury textiles of the period as part of the vocabulary of trade and diplomacy, intended to reflect the wealth and status of the owner or recipient. This particular fragment is remarkable for the size of the central roundel, a feature which sets it apart from most other known examples. A silk robe with roundels depicting similar lions was sold at Sotheby's, Arts of the Islamic World, London, 25th April 2012, lot 499. For a full discussion on the luxury silk weaving under the Sogdians in Central Asia, see Watt, J. and A. Wardwell, When Silk was Gold: Central Asian and Chinese Textiles, Exhibition Catalogue, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 26th October 1997 – 4th January 1998, pp. 21-37.