CIRCA 1785, EITHER THE SAVONNERIE OR BEAUVAIS WORKSHOPS

The open, encumbered design and coloration of this rug, may indicate that it was woven in the Beauvais workshops instead of at the Savonnerie. A Beauvais rug, formerly in the collection of Helena Rubinstein, shares the unusual small size and similar rendering of design motifs as seen here (see, Verlet, P. The James A. de Rothschild Collection at Waddesdon Manor, the Savonnerie, 1982, p.134, fig. 79 for an illustration). Another Beavais carpet, in the Musée du Lourve, also has a similar greek key border as the present piece (see, Ibid, p.133, fig. 78). The overall style of design coloration and structure of the current rug can also be seen in at least two Louis XVI Savonnerie carpets, woven from the same cartoon: one in the Musée du Lourve (Ibid, p.135, fig. 80) and one now in a Paris collection (sold Sotheby's New York, May 21, 1992, lot 117). In particular, the Lourve and Paris Savonneries have a simplified greek wave motif in their borders that is executed in a similar manner to the greek key motif of the present example. All three carpets also share an open green-brown outer border. Verlet suggests that the two cited Savonnerie examples were woven from a cartoon intended for the Beauvais workshops (Verlet, op. cit., p.135). Unfortunately, both the Savonnerie and Beauvais utilized the same weaving technique making it virtually impossible to identify the products of each workshop based on structural characteristics alone. However, most known extant Beauvais carpets known today are signed, most likely indicating that this rug is an example of Savonnerie weaving from the late 18th century.