NORTH INDIA, LATE 19TH CENTURY

The massive size and excellent quality of this carpet demonstrates the full brilliance of 19th Century Agra carpet weaving. Given the enormous scale of the carpet, it is plausible that it was commissioned for British nobility during the colonial period. The claret field color and design are a clear derivation of Safavid Isfahan carpets woven during the reign of Shah Abbas (1587-1629) as demonstrated by the beautifully drawn palmettes, undulating cloudbands and scrolling vinery. The 'Shah Abbas' design, as it came to be known, was employed only on Agra carpets of the finest quality, such as this one, where the fineness of weave allowed the weaver to best express the intricate, almost three-dimensional complexities of the pattern.

This magnificent Agra carpet was gifted to the Detroit Institute of Arts by Mrs. Byron C. Foy (Thelma Irene Chrysler) in memory of her father, Walter P. Chrysler, founder of the Chrysler Corporation.