The land of Uzbekistan has always been renowned for the magnificent craftsmanship of its textile-makers. Since ancient times, when prosperous trade routes put the region in the center of the known world, the opulent fabrics originating here have been the stuff of legend.
Silk & Gold: The Magnificent Art of Costume presents the extravagance of the royal courts of the emirs of Bukhara in nineteenth-century Uzbekistan, when gold, silk and velvet costumes reached their apogee of craftsmanship. Official ceremonial chapans, “jewel coats” entirely embroidered in gold, were part of a stunning display of power and splendor, as were suzani wall hangings, ikat silk and spectacular jewelry pieces – all replete with profound symbolism and time-tested techniques passed from generation to generation. Created by Yaffa Assouline with images by Laziz Hamani, Silk & Gold: The Magnificent Art of Costume is an intimate invitation to discover the masterpieces of unknown masters – examples of high art – that are sought after by museums and private collectors worldwide. They tell us about the diversity of patterns and techniques, the multiplicity of influences from contacts along the Great Silk Road and the constant creative exchange between artisans and the world of trade.
Yaffa Assouline has worked as a journalist, consultant and creative art director. She specializes in innovative and made-to-measure publishing. She is the author of the books Uzbekistan: The Road to Samarkand; Uzbekistan: Avant-Garde Orientalists; Uzbekistan: Russian Avant-Garde; and Uzbekistan Living Treasures: Celebration of Craftsmanship, all by Assouline.
All images courtesy to Assouline.
