Rug and Textile Appreciation Morning: The Classical Tradition in Anatolian Carpets
As part of a series of 2025 programs that revisit groundbreaking exhibitions of The Textile Museum’s 100-year history, leading expert Walter Denny discusses the enduring impact of The Classical Tradition in Anatolian Carpets. Curated by Dr. Denny in 2002 in close collaboration with Sumru Belger Krody, the exhibition showcased the deep influence of the classical past on generations of Anatolian weavers, shaping the artistic styles that have defined Anatolian carpets over the past four centuries. The accompanying catalog remains among the most cited books on the topic.
This program is part of The Textile Museum’s centennial celebrations in 2025.
About Walter B. Denny
Walter B. Denny is Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Art History at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He is Charles Grant Ellis Research Associate in Islamic Carpets for The Textile Museum and served as senior consultant in the Department of Islamic Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (2007-2017). He has authored or co-authored more than 200 publications on Islamic art, including The Sultan's Garden: The Blossoming of Ottoman Art (2012 and How To Read Islamic Carpets (2014). In 2012, he received the George Hewitt Myers Award for lifetime achievement in textile scholarship from The Textile Museum.
How to Join the Program
This program will be in a hybrid format. You can join us in person at the museum or watch the livestream online. Please register in advance and choose how you would like to participate. We will email virtual attendees a link and instructions for joining via Zoom. When you register, you can also request to receive a reminder email one day before the program with the link included.
About Rug and Textile Appreciation Mornings
Collectors and experts discuss textile topics and display examples from their personal holdings. This series is named in honor of late Textile Museum trustee emeritus, Harold M. Keshishian. Browse upcoming programs