Lot 159. A rare and important silk lampas robe, Central Asia, Sogdiana, 7th-8th century, 146cm. height; 246cm. max. width of sleeves. Estimate 200,000 — 300,000 GBP. Photo Sotheby's.

of characteristic form, composed of multiple textile sections, sown with long sleeves and open front, short collar, woven with fine red, green, blue and honey-gold silk samite in weft-faced compound twill, decorated with an alternating pattern formed of facing deer and rams, each within a rectangular frame, the sides composed of a different textile featuring a design of facing haloed pheasants standing on an open palmette, between blossoming floral motifs 

Note: Measuring over one metre forty-six centimeters in both height and wingspan, this exceptional silk robe provides an insightful view into the fashion of the seventh century as dictated by trade and imperial demand. Produced at the crossroad of multiple important civilisations along the Silk Road, this robe evokes the wealth and splendour of Sogdiana in the late Sassanian/early Islamic period.

Composed of weft-faced compound twill, also known as ‘samite’, this robe was created using a complex technique ascribed to both Central Asia and China, although presumably introduced in the latter only in the seventh century. Chinese written sources of the sixth century celebrate what they term ‘Persian’ brocades (Posi jin), which may in fact have been produced in Sogdiana (Matteo Compareti, 'The role of Sogdian Colonies in the diffusion of the pearl roundels pattern', Transoxiana.org. article, 2003).

The designs on the other hand, can be traced to Sassanian Persia and China, adapted in a typical Sogdian manner. The stylised deer and ram which make up the central component of the robe are each depicted in a square compartment with a pearl-border reminiscent of the favoured ‘pearl roundels’. Furthermore, the schematic stylisation and simple, geometric designs adorning their own robes is typically Sogdian. Each wears a pearl necklace with a floating ribbon, as was the custom for animals in the royal household. Furthermore, it is probable that an element of Zoroastrian mythology should be associated to these animals. The ram can be traced back to the God Verethragna (emblematic of valour), and his depictions on Sassanian metalwork have been associated with glory or fortune and the theme of the royal banquet (Gunter and Jett 1992, pp.133-7, no.19). Sogdian robes are often made up of several different textiles, and in the present example, the sides feature pearl roundels comprising heart-shaped motifs within which two birds face each other on a split-leaf palmette. In Zoroastrian tradition, birds are linked to the great God Ohrmazd, power of good, and notably the peafowl which took on courtly significance (ibid, pp.166-7, no.26).

During the same period, China’s Tang dynasty (618-906 AD) with its international outlook, built a strong trade network along the silk route. Donations of silk, notably from Sogdiana, were offered as diplomatic tribute and in exchange for other valued goods. A rich source of wealth in trade and negotiation, such robes would have played a role in the diffusion and absorption of artistic designs and ideas. Examples of Sogdian silks have been found in both the northwestern Caucasus and in sites in northwest China, such as Astana and Dulan. On the present robe, a few stylistic choices can be traced back to Chinese origins as well as the Persian ones cited above, notably the repetitive axial design and inclusion of floral details in the interstices as noticeable on the textile fragments on each sides featuring confronted birds. It is interesting to note that the trade and merchandise of silk textiles was historically organised through foreigners living in China, notably with a strong Sogdian presence. In 722 AD, Sogdiana came under Muslim control and its rich artistic heritage was absorbed by the Abbasid court and served as a model for successive Islamic dynasties.

Although full robes are extremely rare, there are a few surviving in various museums worldwide, notably the China Silk Museum, Hangzhou, which houses multiple examples, including fragments, the Aga Khan Museum, Toronto, where beautiful examples dating from the eighth to thirteenth centuries are preserved, demonstrating the evolution of this style. Further examples are in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York and the Cleveland Museum of Art (see J.C.Y. Watt and A.E. Wardwell, When Silk Was Gold: Central Asian and Chinese Textiles, The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1997).

Sotheby's. Arts of the Islamic World, London, 26 Apr 2017, 10:30 AM