Definition
A northern Iranian needlework tradition associated with Rasht in Gilan, combining wool felt or broadcloth appliqué with chain-stitch embroidery for covers, hangings and saddle cloths.
History
Rasht work is widely associated with 19th-century Qajar production and is represented in several museum collections; labels in older collections sometimes group it loosely with other patchwork or appliqué work.
Dates and attributions here summarise common scholarly positions and are under editorial review; they are not definitive.
Technique
Coloured cloth pieces are cut, laid and stitched onto a ground; outlines and fills are then worked in chain stitch, sometimes with a hook (tambour) and sometimes with a needle, often in silk thread.
Collecting and identification
Look at the joins between appliqué pieces, stitch type and the ground cloth; moth damage and fading of dyes are common condition issues.
This guidance is educational only and is not an authentication or valuation service.
Reference samples
The reference samples on this page are documented objects in public collections, shown with their holding institution's attribution and licence. They illustrate the craft and are not for sale.
Gallery
Images are representative examples, not evidence for the sample marketplace records. Their sources and permission status are listed in the photography credits.
Marketplace
No objects of this craft are currently listed.
Reference samples in collections
Documented objects from museums, archives and auction records, shown for study. Not for sale; attributions are the holding institution's, not CraftPersia's.
Royal Round Tent Made for Muhammad Shah
1834–48
Interior: wool: plain weave, inlaid work; silk: embroidery, chain stitch; tape, leather; Exterior: cotton, wool: plain weave; rope, iron ring
Cleveland Museum of Art · 2014.388 · CC0 (museum open access)
Royal Round Tent made for Muhammad Shah (wall panel with three design units)
1834–48
Wool with silk embroidery (chain stitch), rope, cotton, leather, tape; Rasht work
Cleveland Museum of Art · 2014.388.4 · CC0 (museum open access)
Royal Round Tent made for Muhammad Shah (wall panel with one design unit)
1834–48
Interior: wool: plain weave, inlaid work; silk: embroidery, chain stitch; tape, leather; Exterior: cotton, wool: plain weave; rope, iron ring
Cleveland Museum of Art · 2014.388.3 · CC0 (museum open access)
Tent Wall Panel(?)
1800s
Wool: inlaid work; silk: embroidery, chain stitch
Cleveland Museum of Art · 1916.1297 · CC0 (museum open access)
Sources & references
- Book: Wulff, H. E. The Traditional Crafts of Persia. MIT Press, 1966.
- Museum catalogue: Cleveland Museum of Art, Open Access collection records for Iranian objects (accessed 2026-09-24).
Where origins, dates or symbolism are contested, this entry states the competing readings rather than choosing between them. Editorial analysis is not presented as documented fact.