A KARABAGH DRAGON RUG

SOUTH CAUCASUS, SECOND HALF 18TH CENTURY

Details

A KARABAGH DRAGON RUG
SOUTH CAUCASUS, SECOND HALF 18TH CENTURY
The field of aubergine and golden yellow interlocking lozenges each containing a polychrome serrated floral palmette alternating with a camel-brown lozenge containing angular vine and a stepped panel central lozenge with an angular floral lozenge and flanked by an ivory hooked panel with stylised floral motif, in a narrow golden yellow hooked lozenge border between narrow mill-pattern stripes, slight loss at each end, replaced selvages, probably missing border, areas of wear, corrosion and slight damage, small areas of reweave and repair
9ft.4in. x 5ft.11in. (283cm. x 181cm.)

Lot Essay

The evolution of the design of 'dragon' carpets has been well documented by Ellis (Charles Grant: Early Caucasian Rugs, Washington D.C., 1976, pp.12-16 and 32-59) and Yetkin (Serare: Early Caucasian Carpets in Turkey, London, 1978, vol.II, pp.8-40). The present carpet was made at a relatively late stage in the development of the design. The rows of large palmettes have become more dominant than the lozenge lattice, making the design more static. A very similar but larger rug rug was destroyed in the War in Berlin (Erdmann, K.: Seven Hundred Years of Oriental Carpets, London, 1970, fig.162, p.132). In his caption to the Berlin rug Erdmann observes 'it is doubtful whether the significance of the dragon motif was understood by the weavers'.

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