Conserving the Emperor's Carpet

The magnificent sixteenth-century Emperor's Carpet from Safavid Iran was acquired by the Metropolitan Museum in 1941, but its condition was so fragile that it was only displayed for public twice over the next sixty years. This video documents the ambitious three-year conservation program that was launched in 2006 to stabilize the condition of the carpet so its lustrous wools and dazzling colors can be displayed the Museum on a regular basis.

This video is presented in conjunction with the exhibition Making the Invisible Visible: Conservation and Islamic Art, on view April 2 through August 4, 2013.

The exhibition is made possible by The Hagop Kevorkian Fund.