.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
Rich in both colour and symbolism, this double-niche small medallion Ushak rug represents one of the finest forms of classical Western Anatolian weaving. Frequently referred to as the 'Tintoretto' group after the Venetian master, the earliest examples were in fact first recorded in Europe in a painting by Girolamo da Santacroce, The Calling of Saint Matthew dating from 1517 (John Mills, 'The Coming of the Carpet to the West', The Eastern Carpet in the Western World, exhibition catalogue, London, 1983, p.16). Shortly after this, a rug of very similar design to the present example is depicted in, The Annunciation by Jacob Claes van Utrecht (O. Ydema, Carpets and their datings in Netherlandish Paintings, Zutphen, 1991, p.40). Pictorial evidence suggests that very similar rugs continued to be made throughout the 16th and into the 17th century.
This group of rugs were obviously highly coveted as over one hundred examples from the 16th century were recorded (see M. Frances and R. Pinner, ‘Turkish Carpets in the Victoria and Albert Museum’, HALI, 1984, Vol.6 No.4, pp.357-381) with over seventy of those having been examined by Kurt Erdmann in 1957 (Kurt Erdmann, The History of the Early Turkish Carpet, London, 1977). Within the group there are many variables; the medallion, the spandrels, the border and the guard stripes, although some versions tend to be found combined with particular versions of other motifs. For example, the present border design, comprising lancet-leaves with linked vertices, is most commonly encountered with a concentric hexagonal medallion, as displayed here. The double niche field design is divided into two groups, both of which were in production at the same time, one with cloudband spandrels (more commonly recorded) and the other with angular arabesques, such as the present example, which were inspired in their design by the early 'Star' Ushak carpets. Similarly the border designs consist of stylised cloudbands, angular vine and split palmettes, or lancet-leaves as seen here. The inner and outer guard stripes are often associated with the border type and show the least variance in overall design.
Approximately twelve examples of similar composition and colouring were noted by Charles Grant Ellis, two of which are in the Philadelphia Museum, one of which was formerly in the John D. Mcllhenny Collection, (C.G. Ellis, Oriental Carpets in the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, 1988, pl.28) the other formerly in the Joseph Lees William Memorial Collection (Ellis, ibid, 1988, pl.29, pg.83). While their compositions are the same, their colouring is not nearly as rich nor their condition as good as the present rug. A further example which has undergone some restoration, is housed in the Black Church in Brasov, Stefano Ionescu, Antique Ottoman Rugs In Transylvania, Rome, 2005, p.86, cat.11, inv. no. 293 and another comparable example is recorded in the Museum of Applied Arts, Budapest, Ference Batári, Ottoman Turkish Carpets, Budapest-Keszthely, 1994, I, pl.43, p.55 & 133. The deeply saturated and vibrant colour palette is made possible due to the impressive depth of pile. The distinctive change in tone between the light and dark green paired spandrels, created through the natural abrash on the present rug, is a distinctive feature, as is the bright sky-blue that is punctuated through the border and guard stripes which also grounds the central lozenge medallion drawing the eye into the field.
The small singular device located in the top niche is of particular interest. Some scholars argue that these elements, found in variations on other carpets of this type, represent the lamp that is found in the mihrab of a mosque (Sphuler, König, Volkmann, Alte Orientteppiche, Meisterst ücke aus deutschen Privatsammlungen, 1978, pl.10, pp.48-49). Others define this device as an amulet, used to alter the "perfection" of the carpet and to ward off the evil eye (W.B. Denny, The Classical Tradition in Anatolian Carpets, Washington, D.C., 2002, p.83). For closely related examples to the present rug see, Alberto Boralevi, L'Ushak Castellani – Stroganoff, Florence, 1987, pl.9, pg.30, Christie’s, London, 17 October 1996, lot 425, Sotheby's, London, 7th October 2009, lot 271, and Sotheby's, New York, 24th September 1991, lot 58. Rippon-Bowell, Wiesbaden, 28 May 2011, lot 237, Sotheby’s, London 25th April 2012, lot 690, Sotheby’s, London, 19 July 1989, lot 115 and Sotheby’s, New York, 24 September 1991, lot 58, Sotheby's, London, 8 October 2014, lot 192.
This group of rugs were obviously highly coveted as over one hundred examples from the 16th century were recorded (see M. Frances and R. Pinner, ‘Turkish Carpets in the Victoria and Albert Museum’, HALI, 1984, Vol.6 No.4, pp.357-381) with over seventy of those having been examined by Kurt Erdmann in 1957 (Kurt Erdmann, The History of the Early Turkish Carpet, London, 1977). Within the group there are many variables; the medallion, the spandrels, the border and the guard stripes, although some versions tend to be found combined with particular versions of other motifs. For example, the present border design, comprising lancet-leaves with linked vertices, is most commonly encountered with a concentric hexagonal medallion, as displayed here. The double niche field design is divided into two groups, both of which were in production at the same time, one with cloudband spandrels (more commonly recorded) and the other with angular arabesques, such as the present example, which were inspired in their design by the early 'Star' Ushak carpets. Similarly the border designs consist of stylised cloudbands, angular vine and split palmettes, or lancet-leaves as seen here. The inner and outer guard stripes are often associated with the border type and show the least variance in overall design.
Approximately twelve examples of similar composition and colouring were noted by Charles Grant Ellis, two of which are in the Philadelphia Museum, one of which was formerly in the John D. Mcllhenny Collection, (C.G. Ellis, Oriental Carpets in the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, 1988, pl.28) the other formerly in the Joseph Lees William Memorial Collection (Ellis, ibid, 1988, pl.29, pg.83). While their compositions are the same, their colouring is not nearly as rich nor their condition as good as the present rug. A further example which has undergone some restoration, is housed in the Black Church in Brasov, Stefano Ionescu, Antique Ottoman Rugs In Transylvania, Rome, 2005, p.86, cat.11, inv. no. 293 and another comparable example is recorded in the Museum of Applied Arts, Budapest, Ference Batári, Ottoman Turkish Carpets, Budapest-Keszthely, 1994, I, pl.43, p.55 & 133. The deeply saturated and vibrant colour palette is made possible due to the impressive depth of pile. The distinctive change in tone between the light and dark green paired spandrels, created through the natural abrash on the present rug, is a distinctive feature, as is the bright sky-blue that is punctuated through the border and guard stripes which also grounds the central lozenge medallion drawing the eye into the field.
The small singular device located in the top niche is of particular interest. Some scholars argue that these elements, found in variations on other carpets of this type, represent the lamp that is found in the mihrab of a mosque (Sphuler, König, Volkmann, Alte Orientteppiche, Meisterst ücke aus deutschen Privatsammlungen, 1978, pl.10, pp.48-49). Others define this device as an amulet, used to alter the "perfection" of the carpet and to ward off the evil eye (W.B. Denny, The Classical Tradition in Anatolian Carpets, Washington, D.C., 2002, p.83). For closely related examples to the present rug see, Alberto Boralevi, L'Ushak Castellani – Stroganoff, Florence, 1987, pl.9, pg.30, Christie’s, London, 17 October 1996, lot 425, Sotheby's, London, 7th October 2009, lot 271, and Sotheby's, New York, 24th September 1991, lot 58. Rippon-Bowell, Wiesbaden, 28 May 2011, lot 237, Sotheby’s, London 25th April 2012, lot 690, Sotheby’s, London, 19 July 1989, lot 115 and Sotheby’s, New York, 24 September 1991, lot 58, Sotheby's, London, 8 October 2014, lot 192.