UZBEKISTAN, CIRCA 1870

The style of this suzani is most reminiscent of those produced in Shakhrisabz, located just south of Samarkand. These suzanis are broadly identifiable by a broad palette which includes apricot alongside the more traditional reds and greens, as well as exceptionally lively drawing. The asymmetric design of this embroidery was quite possibly sketched out by a professional designer (kalamkash), who would sketch freehand drawings onto cotton panels for a household to work off. This practice accounts for the similarities between different suzanis produced in the same towns, even though the majority of the embroiderers lived highly secluded lives. For a discussion of this practice in Shakhrisabz, see Kate Fitz Gibbon and Andrew Hale, "Role Reversal", in HALI 153, 2007, pp.88-91.

The lattice design in the field of this particular embroidery is similar to that on an example in the Burrell collection, Glasgow (acc.no.30.4), and another published by Peter Bausback (Susani: stickerein aus Mittelasien, Mannheim, 1981, p.43). The border on the latter example is reminiscent of ours, with the large flowerheads alternating between red roundels and polychrome palmettes. The colour palette of that example is more limited than on ours. A similarly exuberant example of similar design, formerly part of the collection of Ignazio Vok, sold Rippon Boswell, Weisbaden, 4 April 2015, lot 6.