Cornucopia 23

Rapt in silk

Glorious highlights of the book
Ipek: Ottoman Silks and Velvet

William Morris and Mariano Fortuny familiarised the West with the sumptuous floral designs of Ottoman textiles. But few are aware of the bolder side of Turkish design: vibrant abstract patterns which are almost Japanese in their spareness. Ipek: Crescent and Rose, an important new book on Ottoman textiles, redresses this balance. Drawing on the expertise of a number of contributors, it has tracked down the finest velvets, brocades and cloths of gold from Russia to Romania, and uncovered some of the Topkapi's hidden imperial finery. Cornucopia previews this impressive book in a special twelve-page article