Antique Shakhrisyabz Suzani

Period: 18th Century
Origin: Shakhrisyabz
Dimensions: 164 x 219 cm

This rare 18th century Shakhrisyabz suzani highlights a powerful and sophisticated botanical composition featuring a dense all-over network of scrolling vines and vibrant pomegranate blossoms. This structural balance between the intricate central field and the monumental border—decorated with oversized, ripe pomegranate medallions—reflects the pinnacle of the Uzbek needlework tradition. Suzanis from Shakhrisyabz are world-renowned for their bold scale, technical complexity, and the symbolic use of the pomegranate as a potent emblem of fertility and abundance.

The color palette is masterfully balanced featuring a primary ivory silk ground that serves as a dramatic canvas for high contrast shifts of deep madder red, turquoise blue, and forest green. These rich and enduring tones achieved through the expert application of natural dyes nearly three centuries ago exhibit a chromatic strength and a luminous quality that are hallmarks of the finest 18th century Central Asian productions. The inclusion of a wide, energetic primary border creates a precise visual frame that highlights the superior silk quality and the distinctive technical finesse of the professional urban workshops.

Structural analysis indicates the use of premium hand-spun silk embroidery worked in the characteristic basma (couching) and ilmon (chain stitch) techniques on a stable cotton or silk-and-cotton foundation. The exceptional clarity of the floral outlines and the presence of significant tonal variations within the red blossoms definitively distinguish this antique masterpiece from later commercial examples. Ultimately this Shakhrisyabz suzani stands as a premier example of Central Asian textile art representing a peak in both technical endurance and graphic majesty for global collectors.

Stock No : 2334

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