"Floral and Cloudband" Carpet

Unknown

17th century · Cotton (warp and weft), wool (pile); asymmetrically knotted pile · Islamic Art

This type of carpet is characterized by a weft structure with four plies and a dense knot count, which explain the tightness and heaviness of the rug. Common Persian motifs are usually knotted in a rich palette with two to three different tones per color. Starting from the center, cloudbands, peonies, lotuses, and other flowers develop in spiral-like movements and are arranged following vertical and horizontal symmetrical axes. Contrasting ground colors—rich red and dark blue—accentuate the vibrancy of the rug and help distinguishing the border from the field.

Artist

Unknown

Date

17th century

Medium

Cotton (warp and weft), wool (pile); asymmetrically knotted pile

Department

Islamic Art

Credit line

Gift of Ralph Dudley, 1953