Madonna and Child

The object in Figure 1 displays a famous image of Mary and Jesus, and such paintings would have been common in many European homes, particularly those of upper-class individuals. However, the interesting component of this image for this exhibit is the visible rug at the bottom of the object. In particular, this carpet is called the Anatolian carpet, and it is was a highly valuable possession during this time period (Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2016). Notably, this design came largely from the East, and carpet designs came as the result of trade and conquest in the Islamic World. FIgure 2 shows an example of a carpet design from the East. In particular, the Anatolian carpet is also known as a Turkish carpet, and the fact that this foreign design is able to assimilate into European life is striking. In fact, the fact that Europeans are willing to display the most prominent symbols of the Christian religion with an object that comes from the Islamic world shows the degree to which this object became part of European life.