EAST CAUCASUS, LATE 17TH/ EARLY 18TH CENTURY

The Harshang design proved to be very popular throughout the late 17th and 18th centuries and was not only adopted by regions in North West Persia but was as equally popular across the border in the Caucasus. It would seem that the design was first used in the city of Herat in the Khorasan region but, in origin, ultimately derives from the Isfahan 'In and Out Palmette' design carpets. In the Kuba district, the popularity of the design continued into the 19th century. Although it was often formalised into a vertically symmetrical design, the non-uniform composition of the present lot only adds to its provincial charm. The colour palette of the present rug is wonderfully varied and vivid and it is certainly unusual to see such an abundant use of the colour aubergine. The wide border proportions in relation to the narrow vertical strip of field are also surprising and suggest that it is much likely that this rug was woven in a provincial village.

Michael Franses notes that the drawing of the present carpet appears more archaic in style and less crowded than other examples of similar design and suggests that; "it is possible that plate 80 represents the earliest surviving example of Harshang design from the Shirvan region, and could well date from the late 17th to the mid 18th century, whereas the more traditional type with Kufic borders were made after the area was conquered by the Russians, when carpet-making became more organised". (E Heinrich Kirchheim et al., Orient Stars, A Carpet Collection, Stuttgart and London, 1993, p.113).