A hanging decorated with a cypress pattern

He has assembled more than four hundred examples of ikat work from virtually every area of the world with a tradition of ikat production.

The earliest ikat in the collection has a mottled blue background against which the field designs appear to float in space. The exceptionally rich, saturated colors and flowing designs are typical of ikats from the early 19th century. The piece is relatable to two ikat hangings in the Guido Goldman collection, both of which have been dated to the first quarter of the 19th century.

A small panel, is of uncertain date, but most likely derives from the mid 19th century. The colors are harmonious and the design, while complex, is not overly busy. Pieces like this show the great skills of both the designer and dyers who had to work together closely to achieve such successful results. The hanging features a stylized cypress tree in its design. 

The cypress is often used as a symbol for eternity in Persian literature because of its evergreen foliage, and the cypress motif became popular in Central Asia during the early fifteenth century, but its presence in textile work of this type is unusual. Its use has historically been associated with shrines and tombs, (most notably that of Timur or Tamerlane) and can often be found on religious objects. Yet in 19th century ikats no such symbolism seems to have been attached to the cypress form.

Just as in other Central Asian art forms of the fifteenth century, in textile work the cypress quickly became simplified and passed into the general design pool. It is interesting to compare the use of the same motif in the ikat tradition of neighboring Iran. There the cypress retained more of its original associations, usually retaining its natural green color, and often centered within an arched mihrab-like design flanked by birds.

A larger hanging, reflects the Bukharan taste for large, bold patterns. The individual panels are also much wider than the previous example, which was probably woven in the Ferghana Valley, possibly indicating a general regional design difference.

You can learn more about the topic in the book-album "The Cultural legacy of Uzbekistan in private collections of the USA and Canada" (volume XXXI) in the series "Cultural Legacy of Uzbekistan in the World Collections".

The main sponsor of the project is the oilfield services company Eriell-Group.