The warp and the weft constitute the basic foundation of most carpets. The higher the number of knots the finer the rug will be, and the more intricate the pattern will become. This technique proved so effective that carpets are made using these same methods today. Most carpets and rugs are classified by the surroundings in which they were woven — whether hand-woven upon the small loom of a nomadic tribe, part of a cottage industry within a local village, or produced in a professional or royal workshop within a city.
Royal carpets: made in the 16th and 17th century for the Islamic courts, royal carpets had the greatest influence of all on carpet design, although relatively few survive today. While there was no limit to the length a carpet could be, the width of these rugs could never exceed eight feet around cm , the standard size of the loom.
A Yomut main carpet, west Turkmenistan, second half 18th century. Village carpets: carpets such as the Kazak rug below were produced in settled environments: the loom was erected within the home and the carpets woven without a drawn design, relying on the memory of the women who wove them.
This strategy meant that each of the carpets contained small idiosyncrasies, both in their construction and pattern — a factor which only adds to their charm. Upon completion, carpets were taken to the nearest regional market, where they would carry the name of that village. Here, they would either be sold to locals, or handled by a merchant for export.
A Kazak rug, south Caucasus, mid 19th century. Town carpets: cities such as Tabriz, Heriz and Kashan see example below are synonymous with carpet weaving. In the last quarter of the 19th century workshops were established specifically to meet the demands of the Western market, with master weavers overseeing the production of finely woven rugs and carpets. A Kashan 'Mohtasham' prayer rug, central Persia, circa A large Ziegler carpet, west Persia, circa Perhaps one of the most important aspects to consider when buying a carpet is its design.
Is it balanced, well-spaced and harmonious? Does it have a sense of movement, spatial depth and clarity? By the seventeenth century, depictions of carpets were widespread throughout Europe.
The Museum owns several Lotto carpets; the earlier and larger examples have a border of stylized strapwork recalling squared-off kufic Arabic writing The pattern was a favorite in Europe; the seventeenth-century painter Nicolaes Maes depicted a young girl peeling apples , seated next to a table covered with a sumptuous Lotto carpet McMullan Medallion carpets woven in Ushak in west-central Turkey were also depicted frequently in European paintings.
The Metropolitan has several Ushak carpets of this type in its collection The attractive genre scene by Gerard ter Borch, the Younger, entitled A Woman Playing the Theorbo-Lute and a Cavalier depicts a small west Anatolian medallion carpet with an unsual design on the table in front of his musical couple Two in particular feature carpets prominently: the famous A Maid Asleep depicts two different seventeenth-century Anatolian carpets As carpets became more affordable in Europe, very large examples were imported for use as floor covering.
In early nineteenth-century France, Jean August Dominique Ingres, a great admirer of Italian Renaissance art, self-consciously referred back in time to earlier portraits in his well-known portrait of Jacques-Louis Leblanc The small carpet on the table, of a well-known eighteenth-century type from Anatolia, is strikingly similar to an actual example from the McMullan collection in the Metropolitan Depictions of carpets in European and American paintings continued throughout the twentieth century, in works as diverse as the Orientalist paintings of Matisse or American interiors by artists such as William Glackens; the colors, textures, and patterns of carpets continue to fascinate patron and painter alike into our own time.
Denny, Walter. The mihrab motif, that looks like an arched doorway, is generally featured on Muslim prayer rugs or Islamic prayer rugs. Tribesmen would place the rug with the mihrab facing the direction of the Kaaba, during prayer.
The camel was an important animal for nomadic tribes, assisting in transportation. Since camels can withstand the harsh desert climate, they often symbolized strength and endurance. Alternatively, they can also represent prosperity, since only nomads with wealth could afford to keep the animals.
Kurdish, Turkish, and Persian rugs are replete with the fish motif. The motif is believed to be based on the Zoroastrian symbol of the sun and is usually seen in multitudes. It is also considered a protective motif, meant to ward off against the evil eye. The zigzag line motif designs, often found along the borders of the rugs, represent mountains.
They could be a depiction of the mountain peaks that surrounded the village or encampment of the tribes, or more philosophically, could also represent hardships in life that one must climb over and overcome. Motifs of different birds found in rugs usually symbolise happiness and love. But the peacock motif depicts nobility and grandeur. On a spiritual level, the tribes aspired to have an opulent mind, akin to the exterior beauty of the peacocks.
Nomadic tribes lived under harsh climatic conditions, and water was a very precious resource. As running water symbolises life everywhere, its motif, indicated using different patterns in rugs, was a symbol of the importance and auspiciousness of running water.
Gul is a medallion-like design commonly found in tribal as well as commercial rugs. Memling Gul is a depiction of the gul named after Hans Memling, a famous Flemish painter from the 15th century.
He used to paint guls in his Christian paintings, and the Memling Gul is seen often in tribal rugs. There are many motifs found in antique tribal rugs, and it is their significance and meaning, that makes each rug come alive.
So the next time you see a beautiful old tribal rug, look for those symbols and patterns, because they have a story to tell. Artisera is a destination for artistic luxury where you can discover and buy the most exquisite pieces of fine art, collectibles and furniture.
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