Suzani Embroidery

This distinctive Central Asian suzani balances classicism with a true sense of artistic freedom. The majority of the border is comprised of alternating floral bursts, the first derived from a directional palmette and the second a multi-petaled round flower. This combination is seen often in central Persian carpets of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries and became prevalent in pieces from Mughal India during the seventeenth. The lower right side, however, is comprised of clusters of smaller floral bursts. This asymmetry is mirrored in the field where various smaller alternating floral forms comprise an organic field pattern. Such individuating features in design and execution are a hallmark of these embroideries from Uzbekistan and great textile art in general.