Mantle for a Statue of the Virgin with Lotus Blossoms and Medallions

This costly royal silk with extensive gold thread was woven in Egypt and gifted or exported to Spain, where it was pieced into this mantle for a statue of the Virgin, probably to be worn during festivals and processions. The sturdy silk brocade foundation cloth was also woven with a lighter weight silk damask with a repeating mirror image. Therefore, the Arabic inscription in the medallions reads both forward and backward: Glory to our master, the sultan, the king. The inscribed lobed roundels say The sultan, the king.