Istanbul to Samarkand Rug Gallery

This remarkable 18th-century Suzani from Uzbekistan is among the highlights of the Art Institute of Chicago’s exhibition ‘Embroidered Traditions from Morocco to Afghanistan’.

The exhibition examines embroidery as a powerful expression of identity, belief, status and protection, tracing centuries of cultural exchange across a vast region shaped by trade networks, nomadic movement and the blending of religious and artistic traditions.

🗓️Until 25 January 2027

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Cheri Hunter, Rest in Peace, dear Cheri.

Cheri Hunter. Rest in Peace, dear Cheri.

This 17th-century Ottoman embroidered bohça (Lot 223), published in 1935 as part of Frank Henry Cook’s (1862–1931) collection of mediterranean embroideries, will be offered in Sotheby's 'Arts of the Islamic World & India' sale on 29 April at 11am. A pre-sale exhibition will be held from 24–28 April.

Two rugs formerly in the collection of Lewis and Susan Manilow, Chicago, showcase the transformation of the aesthetic of Egyptian weaving in the 16th century. A Mamluk rug (Lot 131) presents a typically geometric octagonal medallion within star and cogwheel elems, while a beautifully drafted Cairene rug (Lot 200), formerly in the Kevorkian collection, is drawn with distinctly Ottoman saz leaves and palmettes.

An early 19th century North West Persian gallery carpet (Lot 154) reflects the enduring influence of Safavid Kerman 'vase' carpets, offered alongside a charming Kerman carpet (Lot 153) of unusually small proportions woven with lush floral stems. An early silk samite fragment with large-scale bulls (Lot 125), a Mongol ‘cloth-of-gold’ fragment (Lot 126) and a rare, embroidered robe (Lot 141) reveal the breadth of the early weaving traditions of Central Asia.

Visit the Sotheby's website to view the full catalogue.