NORTH EAST PERSIA, 18TH CENTURY

This carpet represents a development of the Mughal red ground lattice carpets of the seventeenth century (E.Ganz-Ruedin, Indian Carpets, Fribourg, 1984, pp.138-9). The idea of floral sprays within a star-and-cross lattice can be seen in all spheres of Mughal art, in particular in the borders of manuscripts (R.Skelton (et al.), The Indian Heritage, Court Life and The Arts Under Mughal Rule, exhibition catalogue, London, 1982, no.57, p.43.

One feature which the present carpet shares with Safavid examples such as the Von Hirsch lattice carpet (Il Tapetto Orientale dal XV al XVII Secolo, exhibition catalogue, London, 1981, no.24, pp.43-44, ill.p.86), as well as some of the Indian lattice carpets including that already cited, is the orientation of the plant motifs. These are arranged in such a way that there are some floral sprays which are correctly oriented whichever side the carpet is viewed from. The eighteenth century date of this carpet, when compared to earlier examples, is evidenced by the relative stiffness of the draughtsmanship. This latter development is noticeable in all areas of Mughal art; the wonderfully naturalistic depictions of flowers in the early seventeenth century become increasingly stylised through the eighteenth.

A similar, but fragmentary, carpet is in Berlin, (F. Spuhler, Oriental Carpets in the Museum of Islamic Art, Berlin, London, 1987, no.126, pp.109-110, ill. p.266).