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Lot Essay
A relatively high number of 'small medallion' Ushak rugs have survived from the 16th century; Kurt Erdmann in 1957 knew of over 100 (Kurt Erdmann, The History of the Early Turkish Carpet, London, 1977). Yet within the group there are considerable differences. All the different elements are variable; the medallion, the spandrels, the border and the guard stripes, although some versions tend to be found combined with particular versions of other motifs.
The present rug represents the second type of double-niche Ushak rug with a cloudband border. An example with a similar border design on a vivacious yellow ground, bears the same arabesque spandrels and red field as our rug, as well as the inclusion of what appears to be a hanging banner or standard, much like those seen in religious and military processions (see Moshe Tabibnia, Milestones in the History of Carpets, Milan 2006, pp.110-111, pl.9). The inclusion of such hanging motifs is a cause of some debate and they are found in variations on other carpets of this type, with some suggesting they represent the lamp found in the mihrab of a mosque, while others suggest that they are amulets, used to alter the 'perfection' of the carpet and to ward off the evil eye (W.B. Denny, The Classical Tradition in Anatolian Carpets, Washington, D.C., 2002, p.83.). Amulets were also commonly found in mosques and served the same purpose.
Another 'small medallion' with a cloudband border is in the Keir Collection, but with added elements in the longer field and with plain striped guard stripes (Friedrich Spuhler, Islamic Carpets and Textiles in the Keir Collection, London, 1978, no.24, p.52 and col.pl.p.54). Other similar examples are published in the Textile Museum (L. Mackie, The Splendour of Turkish Weaving, Washington, 1973, no.36, p.36), the McMullan Collection, with central blue medallion (Joseph V. McMullan, Islamic Carpets, New York, 1965, no.83, pp.262-3), the Metropolitan Museum (M.S. Dimand and J. Mailey, Oriental Rugs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1973, no.81, p.224), the Ballard Collection (James F. Ballard, Catalogue of Oriental Rugs in the Collection of James F. Ballard, St. Louis, 1924, no.71), and with Herrmann (Eberhart Herrmann, Seltene Orientteppiche X, Munich, 1988, no.5, pp.22-23). The Textile and Metropolitan Museum examples, together with the Ballard rug, share the yellow quatrefoil medallion seen in this rug. Another of the group sold in Christie's London, 23 April 2013, lot 49.
What sets this particular rug apart from all of the aforementioned rugs in the 'cloudband' group is the way in which the weaver has attempted to execute full corner resolutions within the border. Rather than the usual abrupt severence of the motif at the point where it is required to turn, here the weaver has successfully positioned the cloudband at each corner on the diagonal so that each of the extended arms forms an 'L' shape that gracefully continues the design around the border without interruption. This is a rarely seen feature on Ottoman Anatolian rugs of this period.
The present rug represents the second type of double-niche Ushak rug with a cloudband border. An example with a similar border design on a vivacious yellow ground, bears the same arabesque spandrels and red field as our rug, as well as the inclusion of what appears to be a hanging banner or standard, much like those seen in religious and military processions (see Moshe Tabibnia, Milestones in the History of Carpets, Milan 2006, pp.110-111, pl.9). The inclusion of such hanging motifs is a cause of some debate and they are found in variations on other carpets of this type, with some suggesting they represent the lamp found in the mihrab of a mosque, while others suggest that they are amulets, used to alter the 'perfection' of the carpet and to ward off the evil eye (W.B. Denny, The Classical Tradition in Anatolian Carpets, Washington, D.C., 2002, p.83.). Amulets were also commonly found in mosques and served the same purpose.
Another 'small medallion' with a cloudband border is in the Keir Collection, but with added elements in the longer field and with plain striped guard stripes (Friedrich Spuhler, Islamic Carpets and Textiles in the Keir Collection, London, 1978, no.24, p.52 and col.pl.p.54). Other similar examples are published in the Textile Museum (L. Mackie, The Splendour of Turkish Weaving, Washington, 1973, no.36, p.36), the McMullan Collection, with central blue medallion (Joseph V. McMullan, Islamic Carpets, New York, 1965, no.83, pp.262-3), the Metropolitan Museum (M.S. Dimand and J. Mailey, Oriental Rugs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1973, no.81, p.224), the Ballard Collection (James F. Ballard, Catalogue of Oriental Rugs in the Collection of James F. Ballard, St. Louis, 1924, no.71), and with Herrmann (Eberhart Herrmann, Seltene Orientteppiche X, Munich, 1988, no.5, pp.22-23). The Textile and Metropolitan Museum examples, together with the Ballard rug, share the yellow quatrefoil medallion seen in this rug. Another of the group sold in Christie's London, 23 April 2013, lot 49.
What sets this particular rug apart from all of the aforementioned rugs in the 'cloudband' group is the way in which the weaver has attempted to execute full corner resolutions within the border. Rather than the usual abrupt severence of the motif at the point where it is required to turn, here the weaver has successfully positioned the cloudband at each corner on the diagonal so that each of the extended arms forms an 'L' shape that gracefully continues the design around the border without interruption. This is a rarely seen feature on Ottoman Anatolian rugs of this period.