'Ghirlandaio' Carpet

Unknown

late 19th century · Wool (warp, weft, and pile); symmetrically knotted pile · Islamic Art

This carpet is woven in a design derived from so-called Ghirlandaio carpets, named after the Italian Renaissance artist Domenico Ghirlandaio, who painted an altarpiece depicting such a carpet. Characteristic for this type of carpet is the central medallion composed of several motifs and forms one inscribed within the other - here a small rosette and a rectangle - from whose sides curvilinear forms emerge, creating an overall diamond shape. This carpet is likely the production of a small commercial workshop or a village weaver.

Artist

Unknown

Date

late 19th century

Medium

Wool (warp, weft, and pile); symmetrically knotted pile

Department

Islamic Art

Credit line

Gift from the Collection of Hillary Black Dumas and Dr. D. Gilbert Dumas, 2009