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Lot Essay
The exact design of this rug, crudely drawn jagged palmettes enclosed by a stylized leaf trellis, appears to be unusual within the known group of eighteenth century Anatolian rugs. The concept of palmettes enclosed within a trellis is not unknown in other Turkish carpets, but is usually seen in cottage workshop rugs with a slightly more sophisticated execution. For example, a similar concept in design can be seen in a West Anatolian rug in the Textile Museum, Washington, DC, but the design in this rug is more reminiscent of the arabesque 'Lotto' carpets than it is similar to the offered Bernheimer piece (see Mackie, Louise: The Splendor of Turkish Weaving, Washington, 1973, p.86, fig. 44). A West/West Central Anatolian rug with a leaf lattice enclosing palmettes and other floral motifs is illustrated in Hali, Vol. 6, no. 2, 1984, p.162, fig. 15, but here again the scheme of the design is quite different. In the Hali example the overall effect of the design creates a tile design suggesting overlapping circles.
The closest design comparison or inspiration for the design of the present rug appears to come from Ottoman textiles of both Court and domestic production. Mackie illustrates both a Court workshop produced kaftan panel with a split-leaf rumi ogival lattice enclosing ovoid medallions and a domestically produced silk embroidery with palmettes flanked by serrated leaves within a fruiting vinery lattice (see Mackie: op. cit., pp.50 & 63, figs. 8 & 21). The design of both of these textiles is seemingly much more similar in concept and visual effect to the Bernheimer rug than any published rug examples. As it is generally believed that the domestic silk embroideries, such as the cited example, take their design inspiration from the Court textiles, it may be reasonable to assume that the design of this rug is also a rural interpretation of similar textile designs.
The closest design comparison or inspiration for the design of the present rug appears to come from Ottoman textiles of both Court and domestic production. Mackie illustrates both a Court workshop produced kaftan panel with a split-leaf rumi ogival lattice enclosing ovoid medallions and a domestically produced silk embroidery with palmettes flanked by serrated leaves within a fruiting vinery lattice (see Mackie: op. cit., pp.50 & 63, figs. 8 & 21). The design of both of these textiles is seemingly much more similar in concept and visual effect to the Bernheimer rug than any published rug examples. As it is generally believed that the domestic silk embroideries, such as the cited example, take their design inspiration from the Court textiles, it may be reasonable to assume that the design of this rug is also a rural interpretation of similar textile designs.