Sotheby's 17th C. Isfahan Carpet

Isfahan Rugs: Isfahan Carpet 17th C. Sotheby's

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Isfahan Rugs: Isfahan Carpet 17th C. Sotheby's

Sotheby's Auctions » Carpets » lot 125

Sale N07852
Click on image to enlarge. PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION
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.

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 art.

This lot is sold subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Sale or Conditions of Business for this sale. As stated in the Conditions, all lots are sold on an "AS IS" basis. Prospective bidders should review the Conditions, Glossary, Important Notices, and Buying at Auction guide.

Isfahan Rugs: 17th Century Isphahan Carpet Sotheby's Lot 230

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