Intrinsic Beauty: Celebrating the Art of Textiles

 

SVG
GWTM_Ex_IntrinsicBeauty_h1_920x200

 

February 22-June 14, 2025

In 1925, George Hewitt Myers founded The Textile Museum with his global collection of carpets and textiles prized for their “intrinsic beauty of design, color and technique.” This exhibition brings together iconic masterworks from The Textile Museum Collection. As the museum launches its centennial year, Intrinsic Beauty celebrates textile making as one of the world’s oldest and most sophisticated art forms.

Acknowledgements

Lead support for activities celebrating the museum's centennial is provided by an anonymous donor, the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, and the Estate of Peter L. Sheldon. Major support is provided by the Bruce P. and Olive W. Baganz Fund for The Textile Museum Exhibitions and Publications, the Cynthia and Alton Boyer Fund for Education, the Judith B. Grunberg Estate, the Markarian Foundation, and Mary Jo Otsea and Richard H. Brown. Additional support is provided by the American Conference on Oriental Rugs, Deborah M. Anderson, Corinne M. Berezuk, Sylvia Bergstrom, Joe Rothstein and Marin Hagen, Sheridan Pressey Collins and Richard L. Collins, Tina M. deVries, Alastair and Kathy Dunn, Lee and Colin England in memory of John Howe, David and Barbara Fraser, Jannes Waples Gibson, Drs. Kathy and Richard Katz, the Megalli Family Endowment, Edwina M. Nelon, Ruth Rudolph Perlin and Dr. Seymour Perlin, Roger and Claire Pratt, The Textile Museum Education Fund, Barbara Tober in honor of Dr. Young Yang Chung, and Pamela Tripp-Melby.

Image
Fragment of curtain with horizontal bands displaying interlacing star patterns, Arabic script and stepped crenellations or guilloche.

 

Fragment from a curtain, Spain, 14th/15th century. The Textile Museum Collection 84.11. Acquired by George Hewitt Myers in 1931.

Image
Japanese embroidery depicting Buddha Amida and the Bodhisattva and Seishi standing on clouds floating down from heaven to receive the soul of one deceased.

 

Textile hanging, Japan, 13th century. The Textile Museum Collection 52.20A. Acquired by George Hewitt Myers in 1951.

Image
Fragment of an embroidered textile with a design of scrolling vines, tulips and carnations

 

Fragment from a cover, Türkiye, 16th/17th century. The Textile Museum Collection 1.22. Acquired by George Hewitt Myers prior to March 1940.

Image
Red silk textile with gold metallic bands, curvilinear designs in purple, gold, green and turquoise, and naga (mythological snakes).

 

Shoulder cloth, Indonesia, 1875-1900. The Textile Museum Collection 1986.13.2. Gift of Mary Jane and Sanford Bloom. 

Image
Plain weave, tie-dyed tunic in blue, red, green and yellow

 

Tunic, Peru, 750-950. The Textile Museum Collection 91.341. Acquired by George Hewitt Myers in 1941.

Image
Narrow-waisted coat with flared hips and long sleeves ending in pointed cuffs. Fabric is a very thin silk tissue with a simple repeat of a single floral motif.

 

Man's robe; India (fabric), Iran (tailoring), late 17th century. The Textile Museum Collection 3.112. Acquired by George Hewitt Myers in 1927.

Image
Kilim with central medallion featuring a dragon and phoenix. Animal and floral motifs, cartouche border.

 

Kilim, Iran, 16th/17th century. The Textile Museum Collection R33.28.1. Acquired by George Hewitt Myers in 1926.

Image
Carpet with repeated hexagons, design in rose and green. Three borders, main one greenish-blue.

 

Carpet, Türkiye, 17th century. The Textile Museum Collection R.34.34.1. Acquired by George Hewitt Myers in 1927.

Exhibition Programs