WEST ANATOLIA, SECOND HALF 17TH CENTURY

The popularity of the sixteenth century "Lotto" design resulted in an increased production of the type in the following century. The majority of these it appears were destined for the European market. They tend, as here, to have much larger borders in comparison to their field size than the earlier examples. The two most frequently encountered border types are the cartouche design and the cloudband design seen here. A number of comparable examples are preserved in Hungary and Romania (Vegh, Gyula and Layer, Karoli: Turkish Rugs in Transylvania, London 1977 reprint, pl.5; Batári, Ferenc: Ottoman Turkish Carpets, Budapest, 1994, no.13, p.108). This latter example is particularly close to the present rug with its off-centre design and the cloudband motifs one three sides pointing away from the centre of the rug.