NW Persian Interpretation of Indian Prototype

#20419

Northwest Persian Gallery Carpet

Probably Kurdistan, Possibly Kolyai

6’4” x 15’8”

3^rd quarter 18^th Century

This antique gallery format carpet is a particularly fine example of a select group of Kurdish carpets accurately interpreting a 17^th century Mughal Indian Agra prototype.

The abrashed and slightly corroded brown field displays a complex, dense allover one-way pattern of three blossom flowers, small palmettes and geometric rosettes connected by fractional split arabesques and broken vertical staves.

Although the pattern seems to be textile-derived, in fact there are surviving Indian pile carpets with a virtually identical pattern.  Most salient are the split arabesques in ivory, yellow, red, and royal blue which delineate a quasi-lattice pattern.  The field is densely covered and there are no open areas.  The pattern is balanced in all directions, a sign of a skilled workshop.

The main navy border displays two types of palmettes, rosettes, and embracing pairs of lancet leaves, with matching ivory minor stripes of repeating, discrete squares of trefoiled double flowers.  These flowers appear exactly on contemporary Kirshehir Turkish rugs and later in the 19^th century on Luri tribal rugs.

The weave employs symmetric (Turkish) knots on a mixed foundation of cotton warps and single wool wefts between knot rows.  This structure is common in Kolyai Kurdish carpets of the period. The kelleh format is also a Kolyai specialty. A small number of these carpets are known, often with burgundy fields.  Ours is unusual for its brown ground.  All share the same design.  How a classic Indian carpet got to Kurdistan to copy is one of the many unsolved rug mysteries.  Add in the Turkish style minor borders and one has a doubly curious, but highly attractive and totally authentic carpet.  A few pieces in related patterns have been assigned to Malayer to the east on the basis of weave character, but they are of the same age.  A date for our piece at the 3^rd quarter of the 18^th century is quite acceptable.

To view this rug on our website, click here.

Lively Haji-Jalili Tabriz Carpet

#20106

Origin: Persia

Region: NW Persia

Type: Tabriz Haji Jalili

Size: 12’ 9” x 20’ 6”

Circa 1890s

The rust red field displays an overall pattern derived from the general pool of Islamic textile motives, most specifically from the Persian 16^th and 17^th centuries.  The Tabriz carpet designers created thousands of distinct patterns based on this repertoire of rumis (split arabesques), islimis (curving vines), palmettes, flower heads, leaves and other quasi-vegetal ornaments.  The main border part takes elements of this same design. The cloud band minor borders descend almost directly from classical Persian prototypes of the 1^st half of the 16^th century.

The wool pile is typically Tabriz – brisk, erect, firm, and slightly dry.  In the best qualities it is an excellent long wearing material. In great part it originates in the immediate area and is processed in Tabriz where it is spun by hand via spindles rather than wheels.

The attribution to “Haji Jalili” is traditional. There are only a few carpets actually and unequivocally signed “Haji Jalili”.  The assumption of a much larger group is based on physical similarities: same knotting style and pile treatment, general quality, etc.  As of course, “Haji Jalili” if he is at all responsible for the carpet, did not actually weave it.  Indeed, he probably never laid a constructive hand on it.  The rug workshop consisted of actual weaving operatives, supervisors, managers and others responsible for the whole manufacturing and marketing process.  It is most appropriate to consider this term as a quality level rather than an attribution of origin.  Even though no archrival evidence has come to light confirming “Haji Jalil’s” ownership of a rug factory in Tabriz in the late 19^th century, the term is generally accepted as referring to a distinct group of carpets of high quality made from 1880 to 1900 in Tabriz often in very large sizes.

The color variation (Abrash) in the field may have several distinct causes. In such a large carpet they may have been an insufficient initial batch to complete the entire field. Since dyeing was even in the most accomplished ateliers, something of a hit or miss procedure, color matching may not have been entirely successful, or the dyes may have aged differently after matching initially on exposure to light and washing agents.  The color divergence may have developed over time.  Further, chemical treatment which in Tabriz meant a light wash in lime water and which was applied to most local production, may accentuate underlying differences.  The variation in the secondary colors may be a conscious choice to vary details in such a large rug.

The area near the border on one hand of variance may be a furniture mark, the result of protection from light by a chair or other piece of furniture. This area has a more saturated tone than the rest of the section.

Large Tabriz carpets of the late 19^th century are almost invariably custom orders from overseas clients via the dealer network in NY and London.  The large size indicates that the client was probably American.  

The almost complete lack of dark blue is quite unusual.  The rumi arabesque varies in color row wise along the length of the carpet, thereby giving a very large piece a sense of movement and lightness. This color change is subtler in the underlying islimis.  To add further interest, the field pattern is not exactly balanced top to bottom. Further, the paired curving leaves change color in succeeding rows. What could have been a monotonous creation has become a lively and movement filled piece. The development of the pattern is almost temporal, a progressive elaboration on a basic theme.  This “Haji Jalili” Tabriz carpet has all the characteristics of a sustained work of art.

To view this rug on our website, click here.

Film | Gabbeh 1997

Post by: Katrina Mauro

Beyond the physical labor that is put into weaving a rug, is the story that is told through the art.  This film, while not a documentary, does document both of these aspects of rug making, interweaving the processes and materials of creation with the stories and events that aid in their artistry.

To introduce this story, an elderly couple argues over who will clean the Gabbeh rug on the way to the stream.  the woman admires the beauty of the Gabbeh and asks it’s story.  With this question a young woman appears, Gabbeh, she begins to tell her (the rugs) story.  This forshadowing is explained by the elderly man who wants to wash the Gabbeh.  “As soon he sees you he forgets me”, his wife says to the Gabbeh.  His response to this comment is, “Miss Gabbeh she is jealous of herself.”

Her people are of the Ghashgaie tribe, who never stay in one place long.  She tells how she fell in love w a horseman, a reference to the horseman on the carpet.  As the story continues the link is made between the elderly couple and the young woman’s story.  She is the weaver of the Gabbeh, the elderly woman.  She and her husband both admire their story still, through the piece of art that tells it.

The film takes a strange turn in some parts, where it is as though the viewer becomes incorporated in it.  A teacher tries to teach you the importance of color and where it comes from.  He pulls the colors straight from natural elements as children call the name of the color.  A quick explanation of primary and secondary color through nature follows.  There is an obvious connection of this tribe to nature, color, and life cycles – all of which can be seen through the continuous weavings seen throughout the film.

Gabbeh style blankets, carpets, and kilims are shown in the tents the tribe erects at each camp ground, as well as while traveling.  Most seen have typical diamonds or checkers in crude repetitive patterns and bright basic colors.  An unfinished carpet can be seen on a loom which is constructed like a tripod made of branches, with a stretcher across the front 2 legs where the weaver would sit.  A woman quickly weaves the fields in front of her.

The viewer in this film really does get a feeling for the work it takes to produce a complete carpet from beginning to end, starting with the sheering of the sheep and spinning of yarn.  In this clip flowers are collected , boiled, and wool yarn put in the pots to soak in these colors.   Afterwards, the piles of colored yarn are laid out in the sun on the beach to set the nautral dyes (women run to collect it when rain begins to fall).

Later into the clip a marriage ceremony is prepared for.  Piles of colorful wool surround women as they weave and stamp down their work.  Drums begin the ceremony, and the rhythm of this music imitates the stamping noise as images of dancers are woven into the rug.

The importance of color to life (love, emotions, man, woman, child, birth, death, etc) is emphasized throughout the film in the weavings of the people.  New colors are introduced to the yarn, and new elements to the carpets, as the story unfolds.

By the end of the movie, the connection of the elderly couple to the carpet’s story is fully realized, as they are the couple woven into the rug, riding away on horseback.

*To view these rugs on Rahmanan Antique & Decorative Rugs website, please use the following links:

http://www.rahmanan.com/inventory/show/19182/

http://www.rahmanan.com/inventory/show/19196/

http://www.rahmanan.com/inventory/show/19202/

http://www.rahmanan.com/inventory/show/18898/

*Original post by Katrina Mauro can be viewed on DOTS.connected

Documentary Clip | Persia, 1938

This is a clip from a 1938 color documentary on the Silk Road, from the 2nd reel entitled “Persia”, produced by the Esso corporation and distributed by Modern Talking Picture Service, depicting the process of producing Persian Rugs in Iran.

See originally video clip through World Turtle Productions on YouTube.

#18092 Kerman: Circa 1880

Rug #: 18092

Origin: SE Persia

Type: Kerman – Laver

Size: 8’5”X 16’

Weave density: 10 H X 12 V ~ appx 110-120 KPSI

Warp: hand spun cotton

Weft: hand spun cotton

Pile: wool

Sides: 2 ply wool

Circa: 1880’-1890

Main Colors:  Ivory, soft yellow, soft green, wine red, navy blue, medium blue and rose.

The present carpet originates in SE Persia, specifically the Ravar region of the Kerman province.  The town and surrounding regions have a long history of rug making, dating back to at least to the beginning of 16^th century.

The pattern of the piece is based on classical Persian gardens, with each medallion representing a different section of the garden, organizing them according to the types of trees and flowers.

Because of its location in a mountainous region of SE Persia, the breed of sheep found here have long produced the highest quality of wool.  For this reason, the rugs coming from this region have all been produced using the most lustrous and luxurious wool, which over time has improved just by simple process of being walked on.

Kerman’s and related type rugs such as Ravar and Yazd carpets are amongst the most sought after antique carpets in today’s market. Their gracious size, subtle color combinations, and fanciful patterns make them appealingly adaptable to room settings of varied décor.

http://www.rahmanan.com/inventory/show/18092/

Sultanabad: Circa 1900

Rug #: 18876

Origin: North Persia – Arak region

Type: Sultanabad

Size: 9’’6” X 10’2”

Weave density: 60 knots per sq inch

Warp: cotton

Weft: cotton

Pile: wool

Sides: 3 ply wool

Circa: 1900’s

Main Colors: olive-lime green, medium rust, ivory, navy blue, pale yellow.

This carpet originates in the Mahal district of the Arak region in NW Persia. It was most likely made for export to European or North American markets because of its size and color combinations. The town and surrounding regions have a long history of rug making, dating back to at least to the beginning of 17th Century.

What makes Sultanabad carpets distinctive, and highly desirable, are their bold designs which are always based on classical Persian rugs, along with a good array of pastel colors, which are enhanced by the lustrous mountain wool. This particular piece is distinctive because of its soft and uncommon combination of colors paired with a rare pattern.

http://www.rahmanan.com/inventory/show/18876/