Kirman rug - Lot 365

Kirman rug Cotton warp and weft, wool pile. Southeast Persia, circa 1920-1950 H. 432 cm - L. 340 cm Wear, old restorations and fraying This rug features a large central polylobed ivory medallion, extended by two pendants on a navy blue background decorated with small polychrome stylized flowers and floral scrolls. The entire composition is embellished with four ivory spandrels. A wide orange-red border with multicolored flower garlands is framed by two blue counter-borders. Kirman's isolated location prevented it from playing an important role in the Sassanid era, but spared it from pillage by the Mongols. Its name, given in 928, means "place of place of war". Carpet weaving was encouraged during the Sefevid period, but was interrupted when the dynasty fell. It only resumed in the 19th century, and the offices of European carpet merchants gradually opened here. Around 1920, the city opened up to the American market. The wool of these carpets, which comes from neighboring towns and sometimes from Khorassan, is soft and white and was hand-twisted until 1950. Kirman is also renowned for its wide variety of with fifteen to thirty different shades. Kirman carpets are often decorated with intricate floral motifs. Bibliography : SABAHI, T - " Splendeurs des tapis d'Orient " - Ed. Atlas, Paris- 1987- p. 165 à 169 Expert : Alexandre CHEVALIER