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Featured Rugs
2651
5’-7” x 8’-9”
AGE & ORIGIN:
c. 1900
Persia
OVERVIEW:
A stellar example of tribal art that contains elements of the sophisticated without losing sight of it’s humble roots. Lions borrowed from a regal Persian legacy act as sentries, protecting (or perhaps hunting) a menagerie of avians and unuglates with a single steward of these beasts also portrayed.
Without postulating too much on singular elements, the greatest aspect, to me, of this rug is that while there is a veneer of symmetry in the main medallions, their conjoining trapezoidal offsets, and the borders, when one peers into the details and color usage, that symmetry simply isn’t there.
All these elements play into a fantastic and relatively substantial Khamseh carpet that manages to shake the rigidity of later, more export-focused pieces that also utilize this ‘tribal’ design language to a much lesser degree.
CONDITION & NOTES:
Low pile
Some yellowing of the ivory border, most likely a result of oxidation of the natural wool
Ends have been secured
Several patched areas limited to top third of the rug (see final photo for extent)
2663
4’-0” x 8’-0” (with slight width variation)
AGE & ORIGIN:
c. 1900
Persia
OVERVIEW:
A distinct Northwest Persian rug with an elongated and winding rams head lattice running through and around three medallions. Something crossing the paths of Kurdish and Caucasian and although the true origin outside of Northwest Persia is muddled (at least to me), it’s undeniably a lovely, decorative thing.
CONDITION:
Worn
2671
3’-10” x 3’-4”
AGE & ORIGIN:
c. 1800
Japan
OVERVIEW:
Two intricate and delicately woven panels of silk and lacquered-paper thread depicting dragons and clouds. While the piece consists of two panels, it’s most likely that these were sewn together some years after the initial work was done, as both contain cotton backings with calligraphy denoting them as having been patronage to a monastic setting.
While the original purpose remains somewhat muddled, it’s possible that they were used as wrappings for utensils or perhaps other gifts, as, once again, the backing calligraphy denotes evidence of the textile as a gift, with receivers of the gift being listed by name.
The execution of the drawing is stunning, especially when one thinks about the painstaking work to achieve this repeating design by hand. The dichotomy of such powerful imagery drawn with such delicate, even fragile material is evocative of the idea of a paper tiger.
A very similar piece exists on display at the Chicago Art Institute:
Fragment of a Temple Hanging
CONDITION:
Fraying in areas
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