Carpet
1860 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
The most noticeable elements of this pattern (sometimes called the Herati pattern) are a diamond and four curling leaves. It remains one of the most popular carpet patterns and appears with many variations: radically different effects can be achieved by simply changing the proportion of the motifs or by using colour to highlight particular parts of it. This is a balanced and controlled design but an element of fun has been introduced in the middle of the upper border, to the side of the woven date: there is an animal and, above it, a small human figure wearing a brightly striped garment. Below and to one side of the animal is the islamic date 1277AH, which corresponds to1860-61 AD.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Wool knotted pile, on cotton warp and wool weft |
Brief description | Carpet, wool knotted pile on cotton warp and wool weft, possibly Kurdistan, Iran, Qajar period, 1860 |
Physical description | Carpet Design: dark blue ground with large scale Herati pattern of one and two half rows. There is a red diamond enclosing a red and light blue rosette. A green trefoil leaf with two red berries extends from the rosette and lies over each side of the diamond. The large curved leaves are red and light blue. Main border: red ground with a red meander outlined in light blue, with a spray of white flowers on the diagonal with green; these separate rosettes in dark red, dark brown and light blue, and on either side is a red bud which in the lower centre becomes a double blossom. In the centre of the upper border, in place of a rosette, is a four-legged animal with a human being above, wearing a yellow and black costume; to the left is an inscription and date. Inner and Outer Borders: white ground with a floral meander, with a dark brown stem and multi-coloured flowers. In the centre of the upper outer border the flower is doubled. Wool knotted pile, on cotton warp and wool weft; symmetrical knot; 85 knots per sq. in (1,419 per sq. dm) Warp: white cotton; Z6S; 17 threads/ inch; 66 per dm Weft: light brown wool; Z-spun, unplied; 1 shoot after every row of knos; 10 knots per inch; 43 per dm Pile: wool; 10 colours: dark red, red, yellow, green, dark blue, light blue, dark purple, light purple, dark brown, white; symmetrical knot, tied around two warp threads; 85 knots per sq. inch; 1419 per sq.dm Side Finish: one cord oversewn with red wool End Finish: Lower: incomplete but evidence of warp twining; Upper: 1"/ 2.5cm of plain weave with dark brown wool and 4 rows of warp twining |
Dimensions |
|
Style | |
Marks and inscriptions | Date of manufacture (Tentative reading of Khordad. Khordad 1277 = October 1860.)
|
Object history | Bought at Vincent J. Robinson & Co., 34 Wigmore Street, London, for £44. Museum curator Caspar Purdon Clarke recommended the purchase, describing the carpet as "Kurdish, [...] the large patterns well coloured show a great superiority over the small patterns of the present day". He had not noticed the carpet's date, woven into the pattern: 1277H (equivalent to 1860-61). |
Subjects depicted | |
Summary | The most noticeable elements of this pattern (sometimes called the Herati pattern) are a diamond and four curling leaves. It remains one of the most popular carpet patterns and appears with many variations: radically different effects can be achieved by simply changing the proportion of the motifs or by using colour to highlight particular parts of it. This is a balanced and controlled design but an element of fun has been introduced in the middle of the upper border, to the side of the woven date: there is an animal and, above it, a small human figure wearing a brightly striped garment. Below and to one side of the animal is the islamic date 1277AH, which corresponds to1860-61 AD. |
Bibliographic reference | Ferrier, R. W. (ed), The Arts of Persia, Yale University Press, New Haven & London, 1989. 334p., ill. ISBN 3-8041-801-06230-8
Ch.8, pl. 34 |
Collection | |
Accession number | 390-1880 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
Record created | August 22, 2002 |
Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest