WEST PERSIA, CIRCA 1880

The Kurdish weavers of the city of Senneh were acknowledged in the 18th and 19th centuries as perhaps the most sophisticated weavers of kilims in Persia. The tiny flowering boteh design of the present rug surrounding the central herati-filled ivory medallion illustrates their technical ability of copying closely the urban workshops producing knotted pile carpets. The introduction of additional wefts within the slitwoven surface allowed the designs of these small kilims to remain fluid and liberated, following the curvaceous outline of such small-scale flowers. These finely woven Senneh kilims resemble Persian embroideries or finely knotted carpets much more than the bolder, coarser tribal kilims produced in neighbouring regions. The use of small touches of silk within the present lot, helping highlight the design, is another characteristic used within the very best kilim producing workshops.