In the spirit of sharing, Darioush and London’s Victoria and Albert Museum have joined together to feature ancient traditions in Persian Art. With collections unrivaled in their scope and diversity, the time-honored works selected from the V&A archives span thousands of years of creativity and capture the craftsmanship and integrity of Darius II.

The V&A is the world’s leading museum of art, design and performance. Established in 1852, its founding principle was to make works of art available to all, to educate working people and to inspire designers and manufacturers. The museum and its collections have continued to grow into one of the world’s great resources for the study of art and design; the V&A now houses a permanent collection of 2.8 million objects spanning 5,000 years from ancient times to present day.

This striking example of a luxury textile hails from 16th C Bursa, once considered the epicenter of the silk-weaving industry. Fabrics of this caliber were destined to become diplomatic gifts for dignitaries, ambassadors, and high-ranking religious figures from the Far East to Europe. This specific work depicts a symmetrical arabesque scroll, outlined by feathery leaves and trails of blossoms woven in precious metallic threads.

The pattern is punctuated with a beautiful pomegranate motif— a treasury of symbolism that transcends time and place, cultures, and religions. Emblematic of fertility and everlasting life due to its abundance of seeds, the pomegranate is an icon of unity, and in ancient Persia it symbolized the soul’s immortality and the perfection of nature.

Observing the natural world first-hand and influenced by a study of historical patterns, London-born John Henry Dearle rose from Shop Assistant to Chief Designer of the legendary firm, Morris & Co. under the close tutelage of William Morris himself. Known as the father of progressive pattern in the Victorian era, Morris revived many practices lost to the passage of time— emphasizing the use of quality raw materials, natural dyes, and hand processing in textile and various art forms.

Dearle carried on this artistic ethos, and was deeply influenced by the traditional, ancient patterns of Persia. His undulant motifs convey strong symmetry with flourishes of color, aptly suited to the technique of weaving. Dearle’s 1890s masterpiece, Apple, designed for Morris & Co. now resides in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, and is prominently featured on 2018 Darius II.