Carpet

Physical description

Design: Field: dark pink pointed niche with a yellow mound at the bottom, this contains floral sprigs. Above this are a pair of green or yellow leaves and green angular stems with blossoms. The design is symmetrical across the vertical axis. The leaves frame the bottom of a dark blue curving vase which is decorated with flowers and has a narrow base and wide shoulders. A vertical stem rises from the vase and ends in a large yellow flower edged with dark blue. Angular branches come from the central stem and bear a mass of predominantly yellow flowers. At the bottom of the niche (above the mound and at the sides) is half a striped pot or vase above which is half a yellow flower and half a tall cypress tree decorated with yellow flowers outlined in dark pink. The stripes on the pot/vase are floral alternating with chevrons and with an upper band of reciprocal diamond heads. The two spandrels at the top are dark green with angular stems which have predominantly dark pink or pink flowers.

Main border: dark blue ground with a repeating pattern of a yellow X which has a dark pink/pink flower in the centre and predominantly yellow flowers on one arm and white and red on the other. This motif is separated by a narrow yellow bar beginning and ending with half the dark pink/pink flower and with blue or white flowers down its length.

Inner and outer borders: white ground with single blossom alternating with a floral sprig; in all colours. The outer border is sandwiched between 2 narrow stripes: dark pink ground with pink S-motifs in 'ton-sur-ton'.

Warp: white cotton; Z4S; 37 threads per inch (143 per dm).

Weft: blue cotton; Z spun, unplied; 2 parallel threads per shoot; 3 shoots after each row of knots; 16 knots per inch (66 per dm).

Pile: wool; 8 colours: yellow, light yellow, dark green, dark blue, blue, dark pink, pink, white; asymmetrical knot, open to the left and tied around 2 threads; 296 knots per sq. inch (4719 per sq. dm).

Side finish: one cord oversewn with red wool.

End finish: Lower: incomplete. Evidence of a band of plainweave with blue weft, max. 2.5 cm. with a line of dark pink and one of dark blue along its lower edge. See lower left hand side. Upper: cut.

Place of Origin

Iran (made)

Date

1800-1850 (made)

Artist/maker

Unknown (production)

Materials and Techniques

Woollen knotted pile, with cotton

Dimensions

Length: 179 cm, Length: 174 cm, Width: 112 cm

Descriptive line

Prayer carpet, Iran, 1800-1850

Production Note

Single niche, probably Kerman

Materials

Cotton; Wool

Techniques

Weaving

Categories

Textiles; Interiors; Floor coverings

Collection code

T&F