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Lot Essay
Jennifer Weardon discussed this group of embroideries ('A Synthesis of Contrasts', Hali 59, October 1991, pp.102-111), dividing them into various groups. The present example falls into her group 1, along with a similar example sold at Sotheby's London 6 May 1977 lot 52 and and another sold in these Rooms 11 February 1998, lot 81. Others in the group include one in the Kirchheim Collection (Rippon Boswell and Co., 19 November 1988, lot 111; E. H. Kirchheim et al.: Orient Stars, A Carpet Collection, Stuttgart and London, 1993, no.52, p.78); in the Jim Burns Collection (J. Burns: The Caucasus, Traditions in Weaving, Seattle, 1987, p.15); and two which were combined later to form a single panel, offered in our New York salerooms 17 December 1996, lot 68). All are worked in cross-stitch on a black ground with designs that radiate from a central gabled octagonal panel.
In contrast to most of those noted above, the present example has a greater feeling of space in the drawing. It also shares with a small number of these embroideries, whether woven in the cross-stitch seen here or the surface diagonal darning that is also encountered, a sense of circular movement. The most obvious example of this is the orientation of the two delicate floral sprays flanking the central medallion. This feature is seen more obviously on the famous figural example illustrated by Schurmann and then Kirchheim (Orient Stars, p.69; see also p.77 for another example demonstrating this feature; or one sold at Lefevre (Caucasian Carpets, London, 1977, no.52, p.75).
One of the most intriguing design elements of the present example is the drawing of the octagonal panels in each corner. These clearly derive from Turkish and chequerboard designs of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, with their eight-pointed stars flanking the central more complicated form. For the earlier examples see for example the drawing of the central panels of a large pattern Holbein carpet in Berlin (F. Spuhler: Oriental Carpets in The Museum of Islamic Art, Berlin, London, 1988, pl.4, p.147). Even here however the sense of circular motion continues; a close examination of the small ivory leaves shows them to flow round in the contrary direction to the plants around the central medallion.
In contrast to most of those noted above, the present example has a greater feeling of space in the drawing. It also shares with a small number of these embroideries, whether woven in the cross-stitch seen here or the surface diagonal darning that is also encountered, a sense of circular movement. The most obvious example of this is the orientation of the two delicate floral sprays flanking the central medallion. This feature is seen more obviously on the famous figural example illustrated by Schurmann and then Kirchheim (Orient Stars, p.69; see also p.77 for another example demonstrating this feature; or one sold at Lefevre (Caucasian Carpets, London, 1977, no.52, p.75).
One of the most intriguing design elements of the present example is the drawing of the octagonal panels in each corner. These clearly derive from Turkish and chequerboard designs of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, with their eight-pointed stars flanking the central more complicated form. For the earlier examples see for example the drawing of the central panels of a large pattern Holbein carpet in Berlin (F. Spuhler: Oriental Carpets in The Museum of Islamic Art, Berlin, London, 1988, pl.4, p.147). Even here however the sense of circular motion continues; a close examination of the small ivory leaves shows them to flow round in the contrary direction to the plants around the central medallion.