Collection

“As a researcher and writer in material culture and traditional arts, I support the preservation of all relevant evidence attributed to a culture, past and present, in particular the preservation of craft traditions and all their interconnected moral and intellectual values of ingenuity, diligence, creativity, and skill.”

- Altaf S. Al Sabah

The Al Lulwa Collection, Altaf Salem Al Ali Al Sabah’s assemblage of late Arab and Islamic textiles, ranges widely in region, material, and technique. Its strengths are concentrated in the production of nineteenth and early twentieth centuries which preserve and continue traditions established in the medieval Islamic world. It is vital that this tradition is preserved and continued today, and this book has been produced with the aim of encouraging the revival of craft traditions in the Arab world. The collection has been fastidiously documented so that it can be used as an educational tool for academics, students, cultural researchers, and textile enthusiasts alike.

Author and textile curator Jennifer Wearden writes about the Al Lulwa Collection:

“This collection of late Islamic textiles, begun in the mid-1980 is the serendipitous product of one woman’s determination to explore the past and to discover decorated textiles and garments which are messages about identity, artistic creativity and belonging. Pieces were chosen by instinct, guided by the eye and the heart and by a well-formed and educated aesthetic sense. It was as important to appreciate the craftsmanship of the designer, the dyer, the weaver, the printer and the embroiderer as it was to appreciate the beauty of the finished product. The thread running through this collection of fabrics, garments, hangings and accessories is the fact they were made and used within Islamic cultures.”

Pestamel. Linen and cotton embroidered with silk. Ottoman, 18th century. — Pestamel. *Linen and cotton embroidered with silk*. Ottoman, 18th century.

Woman’s dress. Cotton twill with applied cotton and metal thread braid. Yemen, early 20th century. — Woman’s dress. *Cotton twill with applied cotton and metal thread braid.* Yemen, early 20th century.

Nakshe. Cotton embroidered with silk. Iran, early 19th century. — Nakshe. *Cotton embroidered with silk*. Iran, early 19th century.

Bed cover. Silk and cotton satin embroidered with metal thread , applied spangled ribbon, and linen bobbin lace. Ottoman, late 19th century.

Woman’s shawl. Cotton embroidered with floss silk. Hazara region, 20th century. — Woman’s shawl. *Cotton embroidered with floss silk.* Hazara region, 20th century.

Hanging. Silk wrap ikat. Iran, Yazd mid 19th century. — Hanging. *Silk wrap ikat*. Iran, Yazd mid 19th century.

Wedding veil. Woven silk. Tunisia, late 19th century. — Wedding veil. *Woven silk.* Tunisia, late 19th century.

Wedding tunic. Woven silk embroidered with metal thread. Tunisia, early 20th century.

Cenotaph cover (partial). Woven silk. Iran, early 18th century. — Cenotaph cover (partial). *Woven silk.* Iran, early 18th century.

Jennifer Wearden, with introduction by Jennifer Scarce. Preface by Altaf S. Al Sabah. Decorative Textiles from Arab and Islamic Cultures: Selections from the Al Lulwa Collection. 2016. London: Paul Holberton publishing.

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