CENTRAL PERSIA, CIRCA 1880

The term "Mohtasham" is synonymous with the finest carpets made in Kashan in the late 19th century. Clearly the work of a highly skilled master weaver, Mohtasham carpets are characterized by the soft, velvet like kork wool. These carpets share many structural features such as light blue cotton wefts and purple silk selvages. Their designs are distinguished by an almost calligraphic quality where the floral patterns are typical of the so-called renaissance period of carpet weaving in Persia. The compositions are typically rendered with a sublime complexity, carefully blended with a refined almost translucent palette.
The exceptional, mint condition of the present lot offers us a rare chance to fully appreciate the visual and tactile qualities of Mohtasham carpets, placing it at the pinnacle of the Persian weaving tradition.