L'echanson

Iran, Safavid art, late 16th century Fragment of a rectangular silk textile, depicting a cupbearer dressed in a long tunic, standing among floral stems in a long poly-lobed medallion, holding a cup in one hand and a carafe of wine in the other. Fragments of the same textile have been added at the top and bottom to fill the frame space. Condition: worn, in wood frame. Size: 26 x 10 cm Persian inscriptions: "Since Jupiter and the Moon appeared in the sky, no one has seen anything better than the ruby red of wine. I marvel at the wine merchants: what can they buy that is better than what they sell?" Reference: A.U. Pope, A Survey of Persian Art, Asia Institute of Pahlavi University, 1967 (2nd edition): vol. XI, pl. 1030. F. Spuhler, Islamic Art in the Keir Collection, Textiles, London 1988: p. 91, T39, pl. 27. A fine Safavid silk textile fragment, Persia, late 16th century