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Lot Essay
The knot count is 14H x 9V per cm. sq.
The movement of designs from seventeenth century Kirman to eighteenth century North West Persian carpets is well documented, and the reasons well-rehearsed. Many eighteenth century wool carpets display designs taken, sometimes loosely and sometimes very closely from the Kirman originals. A very good comparison is given by a carpet in the Burns Collection with its prototype now in the Metropolitan Museum (James D. Burns, Antique Rugs of Kurdistan, London, 2002, no.34, pp.126-7; Joseph V. McMullen, Islamic Carpets, New York, 1965, no.17, pp.84-5).
The present rug is another very clear example of this. The main field is a North West Persian variant of the floral spray and lattice design (The Bernheimer Family Collection of Carpets sold in these Rooms 14 February 1996, lot 150; see also lot 52 in this catalogue). While the curvilinear drawing in the present rug is closer in many ways to the early Kirman vase versions than in lot 52, the lattice design has been simplified to working on a single plane, another feature typical of the changes that occurred as the designs moved. The border on the present rug is also almost identical to one of the most common border designs found on 17th century vase carpets.
This rug has the very fine weave coupled with floppy handle typical of some of the best siilk weavings from this area. This is used well to enhance the clarity of an extremely elegant and well-proportioned design.
The movement of designs from seventeenth century Kirman to eighteenth century North West Persian carpets is well documented, and the reasons well-rehearsed. Many eighteenth century wool carpets display designs taken, sometimes loosely and sometimes very closely from the Kirman originals. A very good comparison is given by a carpet in the Burns Collection with its prototype now in the Metropolitan Museum (James D. Burns, Antique Rugs of Kurdistan, London, 2002, no.34, pp.126-7; Joseph V. McMullen, Islamic Carpets, New York, 1965, no.17, pp.84-5).
The present rug is another very clear example of this. The main field is a North West Persian variant of the floral spray and lattice design (The Bernheimer Family Collection of Carpets sold in these Rooms 14 February 1996, lot 150; see also lot 52 in this catalogue). While the curvilinear drawing in the present rug is closer in many ways to the early Kirman vase versions than in lot 52, the lattice design has been simplified to working on a single plane, another feature typical of the changes that occurred as the designs moved. The border on the present rug is also almost identical to one of the most common border designs found on 17th century vase carpets.
This rug has the very fine weave coupled with floppy handle typical of some of the best siilk weavings from this area. This is used well to enhance the clarity of an extremely elegant and well-proportioned design.