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Lot Essay
The field pattern of this example, using Ellis' classifications, is of the "ornamented" style because of its numerous hooked terminals found on the arabesque lattice. This is by far the rarest of the Lotto field variants, with even fewer examples dated confidently to the sixteenth century. A larger sixteenth century example with this field design was sold from the collection of Ambassador Ghazi Aita in these Rooms, 18 October 2001, lot 225.
The 'box' border seen here is usually associated with 'Lotto' rugs from the sixteenth century. Although in most other examples the kufesque border is more visually related to script, the 'box' border is found in a small number of other 'Lotto' rugs, and occasional other Turkish rugs of the same period. This border only appears on two paintings, one dateable to the mid-16th century, the other to circa 1590 (John Mills, "Carpets in Paintings, The 'Bellini', 'Keyhole' or 'Re-entrant' Rugs", Hali 58, August 1991, appendix, p.127; for an illustration of the second of these two, The Chess Players, by Ludovico Carracci see John Mills,"'Lotto' Carpets in Western Paintings," Hali, Vol. 3, no. 4, pp.278-289, fig. 20). A small number of other 'Lotto' rugs or fragments are known with this border (Serare Yetkin, Historical Turkish Carpets, Istanbul, 1981, pl.32, 'kilim' field in the Türk ve Islam Museum, Istanbul; Volkmar Gantzhorn, The Christian Oriental Carpet, Cologne, 1991, illus. 398, 'Anatolian field'; Michael Franses and Robert Pinner, "Turkish Carpets in the Victoria & Albert Museum," Hali, Vol. 6, no. 4, p.364, fig. 9, a fragment with 'Anatolian' field, The Bernheimer Family Collection of Carpets, Christie's, London, 14 February 1996, lot, 90, with 'kilim' field; Trefoil Guls Stars and Gardens, exhibition catalogue, Oakland California, 1989, pl.XVI, p.11 with 'Anatolian' field). Two further examples whose "box" borders lack the secondary elements are in churches in Transylvania (Stefano Ionescu (ed.), Antique Ottoman Rugs in Transylvania, Rome, 2005, cat.232, p.187, with variant 'Anatolian' field, and another substantially restored fragment with 'Anatolian' field, ill.p.204). The combination of ornamental field and box border that is found in this rug appears to be unique among surviving examples.
The 'box' border seen here is usually associated with 'Lotto' rugs from the sixteenth century. Although in most other examples the kufesque border is more visually related to script, the 'box' border is found in a small number of other 'Lotto' rugs, and occasional other Turkish rugs of the same period. This border only appears on two paintings, one dateable to the mid-16th century, the other to circa 1590 (John Mills, "Carpets in Paintings, The 'Bellini', 'Keyhole' or 'Re-entrant' Rugs", Hali 58, August 1991, appendix, p.127; for an illustration of the second of these two, The Chess Players, by Ludovico Carracci see John Mills,"'Lotto' Carpets in Western Paintings," Hali, Vol. 3, no. 4, pp.278-289, fig. 20). A small number of other 'Lotto' rugs or fragments are known with this border (Serare Yetkin, Historical Turkish Carpets, Istanbul, 1981, pl.32, 'kilim' field in the Türk ve Islam Museum, Istanbul; Volkmar Gantzhorn, The Christian Oriental Carpet, Cologne, 1991, illus. 398, 'Anatolian field'; Michael Franses and Robert Pinner, "Turkish Carpets in the Victoria & Albert Museum," Hali, Vol. 6, no. 4, p.364, fig. 9, a fragment with 'Anatolian' field, The Bernheimer Family Collection of Carpets, Christie's, London, 14 February 1996, lot, 90, with 'kilim' field; Trefoil Guls Stars and Gardens, exhibition catalogue, Oakland California, 1989, pl.XVI, p.11 with 'Anatolian' field). Two further examples whose "box" borders lack the secondary elements are in churches in Transylvania (Stefano Ionescu (ed.), Antique Ottoman Rugs in Transylvania, Rome, 2005, cat.232, p.187, with variant 'Anatolian' field, and another substantially restored fragment with 'Anatolian' field, ill.p.204). The combination of ornamental field and box border that is found in this rug appears to be unique among surviving examples.