Silk panel: hunting scene

This silk panel is part of a broader set of objects and documents that represents the production chain of silk brocade, the jewel of Syrian manufacturing. The set was collected in Damas, Alep and Homs, Syria, between 2001 and 2010. This is contemporary production, yet that still bears witness to the timelessness of ancestral expertise, with motifs from the Oriental repertory (calligraphy, hunting and courtesy scenes, and Gardens of Eden) that are believed to be of Persian descent.

In the 6th century AD, silkworm farming was introduced to the Mediterranean from China at outlets along the Silk Road, especially Alep. The Islamic period was very dynamic and Syrian studios had some of the best reputations. A few years ago, only a handful of renowned studios, including the famed Mezannar studio founded in Damas in 1940 with 24 Jacquard mechanical weaving looms, still continued the long and delicate tradition of making silk brocade. Today, various threats hang over this fragile heritage. Very recently, only a few weavers were perpetuating the tradition, with no assurance of the next generation taking it over. In addition, natural silk must compete with artificial silk. Finally, these studios have now been destroyed or deserted due to the war in Syria. This well-documented collection of exceptional quality testifies to the emblematic, yet now weakened and endangered, know-how of the Eastern Mediterranean.