This spotlight loan presents a woven masterpiece from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, home to one of North America’s oldest and most renowned collections of Islamic art.

This carpet belongs to the celebrated group of weavings known as “Holbein” carpets, named for their appearance in paintings by Hans Holbein the Younger (ca. 1497–1543), and other European artists. Originally produced in western Anatolia (present-day Türkiye) and traded widely across Europe, carpets of this type inspired local adaptations beyond their place of origin. This exceptional example was made in southeast Spain, where Muslim weavers adapted eastern Mediterranean designs to local traditions, continuing their craft even after the region came under Christian rule in the thirteenth century.

By bringing together Turkish, Iberian, and northern European artistic influences, the carpet reflects the vibrant cultural exchanges that shaped the Mediterranean at the dawn of the modern age. Following its conservation in 2025, the Aga Khan Museum is proud to be the first venue to display this masterpiece.