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Sotheby's Auctions » Carpets » lot 125
Sale N07852
AN ISPHAHAN CARPET, CENTRAL PERSIA,
New York 80,000—120,000 USD Session 1
03 Dec 02 10:15 AM
Lot Sold. Hammer Price with Buyer's Premium:
107,550 USD
MEASUREMENTS
approximately 15ft. 6in. by 6ft. 8in. (4.72 by
2.03m.)
DESCRIPTION
17th century
oxidized browns, missing outer guard stripes,
repiled areas, overcast sides,
Warp: Cotton, Z4S, natural ivory
Weft: Cotton, Z2, 3 shoots, natural ivory
Pile: Wool, asymmetrical knot open to the left
Density: 13-14 horizontal, 13-14 vertical
Sides: Overcast, not original
Ends: Warp fringe
Colors: Pale to deep rose red, blue-green, ochre,
light green, light blue, medium blue, dark blue,
mink brown, rust red, yellow, ivory, walnut.
Provenance
Sotheby's New York, September 22, 1993, lot 239.
Literature
Hali, issue 72, p. 126. Seen on
www.Sothebys.com
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This Isphahan carpet is a grand example of the pinnacle
of Safavid art achieved during the reign of Shah Abbas
the Great (r. 1587-1629). Shah Abbas relocated the
capital of Persia to Isphahan in 1598 and under his
auspices established court workshops for carpets. These
court carpets are characterized by sophisticated and
layered designs. The wool carpets, such as this lot,
generally feature a deep rose red ground with layers of
swirling floral vinery in an endless repeat that is
captured or framed by a complementary border. These
curvilinear patterns display a mastery of weaving skill
that remains a hallmark of Persian weaving. This
intricate design is complemented by the use of a wide
variety of color in the decorative elements. In the silk
carpets produced contemporaneously, the so-called
"Polonaise" group, the colors have now
generally faded and yet their designs are closely related
to carpets such as this, for examples, see Dimand, M.S.
and Mailey, Jean, Oriental Rugs in the Metropolitan
Museum of Art, New York, 1973, figs. 88 and 90. The
attention to detail and careful execution of these
carpets reflect the formally structured workshops that
produced them in order to meet the lavish demands of the
Safavid court.
Revered in Persia and Europe from the 17th century
onwards, there are numerous examples of 'red ground,
spiral- tendril' Isphahan carpets extant today, see
Spuhler, Friedrich, Oriental Carpets in the Museum of
Islamic Art, Berlin, Washington, D.C., 1987, p. 74. The
carpet offered here, with its bold palmettes and sinuous
cloudbands, has a grandeur that surpasses many of its
known counterparts. Here, the multi-plane design is
punctuated by elements of markedly differing scale that
enhance its visual power. Most related examples exhibit a
more uniform scale to the design motifs, such as the
British Rail Pension Fund carpet sold at Sotheby's
London, October 16, 1996, lot 125; three carpets from the
J. Paul Getty Museum sold in these rooms, December 8,
1990, lots 4, 5, and 6; two examples sold at Christie's
London, October 17, 1996, lots 405 and 407. The enlarged
palmettes in the carpet offered here create an unusual
vitality and this carpet remains a magnificent testament
to the so-called golden age of Safavid court
Note: To further a long term research project I am
collecting data. When a piece such as this may be of
interest to others I have decided to share my notes prior
to culmination of the project. As such the attributions
are my own and may be different that the catalogue
attribution. Any additions, information, or corrections,
would be appreciated.
For Further Reading:
Thanks and best wishes,
J. Barry O'Connell Jr.
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