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Lot Essay
This fragmentary rug belongs to an extremely rare and interesting group of rugs which represents the transition between the two styles of Mamluk and Ottoman Cairene carpets. In both structure and colour, this rug is a classic example of Mamluk weaving. It's design, however, incorporating a decorative skirt at each end bearing stylised Turkish tulips, represents the beginnings of the Ottoman floral aesthetic. It has often been suggested that the Ottoman Cairene rugs represent an abrupt change in the designs and palette of the Cairo looms dictated by the new Turkish rulers after the Ottoman conquest of the Mamluks in 1517. The present rug, while supporting this theory to a degree, also indicates that this change was at least somewhat more gradual and transitional. The use of the stylised tulip stems, which on the basis of comparative material, cannot be dated much earlier than 1560, supports the theory that the transference of styles was still in its preliminary stages in the 1550's, (see Walter Denny, 'The Origin of the Designs of Ottoman Court Carpets, HALI, II, vol.1, p.6).
Another rug in the Textile Museum, Washington, DC, probably represents a slightly earlier version of this transitional group (see, Ernst Kunel and Louisa Bellinger, Cairene Rugs and Others Technically Related, Washington, 1957, pl.XXII). In the Washington rug, the floral lattice of the field seems misunderstood by the weaver and is very angular and stiff. The design of an extremely worn rug, formerly in the collection of Otto Bernheimer, tackled the Ottoman style quite successfully but still adheres to the three-colour Mamluk palette, (Christie's London, 14 February 1996, lot 99). In a review of an exhibition at the Textile Museum, Charles Grant Ellis points out that the appearance of a central medallion in the Textile Museum piece, as similar to the Bernheimer rug, is very rare as most other known rugs from this transitional group have an all-over repeating design (see C.G.Ellis, "Mamluk Rug Exhibition," HALI, vol. 4, no.1, 1981, p.68).
A further fragment from this transitional group was in the possession of Otto Bernheimer until 1961 (see Martin Volkmann, Alte Orientteppiche, 1985, pp.20-21, no.3).
Another rug in the Textile Museum, Washington, DC, probably represents a slightly earlier version of this transitional group (see, Ernst Kunel and Louisa Bellinger, Cairene Rugs and Others Technically Related, Washington, 1957, pl.XXII). In the Washington rug, the floral lattice of the field seems misunderstood by the weaver and is very angular and stiff. The design of an extremely worn rug, formerly in the collection of Otto Bernheimer, tackled the Ottoman style quite successfully but still adheres to the three-colour Mamluk palette, (Christie's London, 14 February 1996, lot 99). In a review of an exhibition at the Textile Museum, Charles Grant Ellis points out that the appearance of a central medallion in the Textile Museum piece, as similar to the Bernheimer rug, is very rare as most other known rugs from this transitional group have an all-over repeating design (see C.G.Ellis, "Mamluk Rug Exhibition," HALI, vol. 4, no.1, 1981, p.68).
A further fragment from this transitional group was in the possession of Otto Bernheimer until 1961 (see Martin Volkmann, Alte Orientteppiche, 1985, pp.20-21, no.3).