Description

This carpet was designed and constructed by weavers of the Republic of India. Interestingly, during the Shah Tahmasb era (circa, 1500’s), skilled artisans from the subcontinent began to emigrate to Iran (known as “Persia” at the time), and upon returning, carried the Persian influence with them. This influence is stunningly observed here. Similarities abound between the two textile traditions: rich floral motifs that dovetail with other natural phenomena in an poetic, geometrical symmetry. Notable in this piece is the “central” motif, which is not perfectly centered but lies rather in the bottom third of the carpet, whereby it begins its stylistic departure. The process of stylizing and preserving the form of such carpets requires a deep knowledge of craft as transmitted via oral tradition through five centuries of Indian textile tradition.