Lot Essay
This is one of a well-known group of prayer rugs which have at times been attributed to Ladik (Batari, F.: Ottoman Turkish Carpets, Budapest, 1994, nos.66-71, pp.60-62, ill. pp.155-160), presumably on the basis of the panel of tulips which appears above the triple mihrab on some examples. Most scholars however think that the present design subsequently went to Central Anatolia with the earlier examples being made further west (Bailey, J.: 'Ladik Prayer Rugs', HALI 28, October-December 1995, p.25).
The development of the design of this group is the subject of an article by May Beattie ('Coupled-column Prayer Rugs', Oriental Art, New Series, Vol.XIV, no.4, Winter 1968, pp.243-258). She traces the derivation of the design from the great 16th century court rugs such as the Ballard Prayer Rug in the Metropolitan Museum (Dimand, M.S. and Mailey, Jean: Oriental Rugs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, New York, 1973, no.105, p.233, ill. pp.158-9). The link between the two types is particularly well shown in a rug in the Christian Museum, Erstergom (Beattie: op. cit., pl.9, p.248), which combines a field very similar to that seen here with a border which is a direct copy of a border seen in various Cairene rugs such as that sold in these Rooms 17 October 1996, lot 406, although drawn facing into the rug rather than everted. The present rug has what appears to be a unique border. Filling the polychrome hexagonal panels which are found on many examples are the Cairene style flowers found on the Erstegom rug, but arranged in a wonderfully swirling fashion which gives the whole rug far more movement than is ususally found in prayer rugs of this type.
The development of the design of this group is the subject of an article by May Beattie ('Coupled-column Prayer Rugs', Oriental Art, New Series, Vol.XIV, no.4, Winter 1968, pp.243-258). She traces the derivation of the design from the great 16th century court rugs such as the Ballard Prayer Rug in the Metropolitan Museum (Dimand, M.S. and Mailey, Jean: Oriental Rugs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, New York, 1973, no.105, p.233, ill. pp.158-9). The link between the two types is particularly well shown in a rug in the Christian Museum, Erstergom (Beattie: op. cit., pl.9, p.248), which combines a field very similar to that seen here with a border which is a direct copy of a border seen in various Cairene rugs such as that sold in these Rooms 17 October 1996, lot 406, although drawn facing into the rug rather than everted. The present rug has what appears to be a unique border. Filling the polychrome hexagonal panels which are found on many examples are the Cairene style flowers found on the Erstegom rug, but arranged in a wonderfully swirling fashion which gives the whole rug far more movement than is ususally found in prayer rugs of this type.