A Northwest Persian garden carpet fragment

The Robert Von Hirsch Collection, Sotheby Parke Bernet, London, June 20-27, 1978, lot 501

Through the Collector’s Eye: Oriental Rugs from New England Private Collections, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, Rhode Island, November 1991 - February 1992
Through the Collector’s Eye: Oriental Rugs from New England Private Collections, The Textile Museum, Washington, D.C., March 1992 - May 1992

Julia Bailey, et al., Through the Collector’s Eye: Oriental Rugs from New England Private Collections, Providence, Rhode Island, 1991, no. 31, pp. 86-87

Fabric backed. Pile ranges from good approximately 1/6th of an inch to low to knotheads and spot foundation in foldwear and oxidized areas. Oxidized dark browns and partially oxidized greens and aubergines. A 25in. by 1in. loss in bottom left section; a 3in. by 2in. loss with adjoining much smaller loss at center right, both visible in catalogue illustration. Lower left corner with an 8in. by 3in. reweave with an adjoining 1in. by 2in. coarser reweave. Some scattered repiling and a few small repaired holes. Sides and ends secured. Very good color; sound fabric and good condition; good variety of design elements. Please note that a license may be required to export textiles, rugs and carpets of Iranian origin from the United States. Clients should enquire with the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) regarding export requirements. Please check with the Carpet department if you are uncertain as to whether a lot is subject to this restriction or if you need assistance.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

This lot is one of four pieces that together would have comprised a carpet fragment measuring nearly 18 feet by 7 feet. The present fragment features two and a half lobed stars, partial crosses, and two sides of the single red floral border. The central star features a green cypress, while a date palm is partially visible in the top star. The overall design of the original carpet, with two stars across the width and six along the length, is different from other Persian garden carpets which were more architectural in their depictions of a chahar bagh, or a formal Persian garden with rectangular plots connected by a series of water channels emanating from a central source. Rather than visually concentrating on the garden’s geometric layout as it appears from a birds-eye view, this carpet’s design, interestingly, focuses on the organic and curvilinear qualities of the trees and flora within the garden.

This lot's design can be related to other Safavid carpets, but the large size of its individual motifs and its coloration mark it as different from other Persian garden carpets. The arrangement of the individual trees also sets this carpet apart as they do not point to the same direction, resulting in a carpet that is not directional but can be viewed from many angles. The drawing of the trees and plants in the present lot have been traced to the Jaipur Garden Carpet in the Albert Hall Museum in Jaipur, as explained by John Eskenazi and Michael Frances, Il tappeto orientale dal XV al XVIII secolo, London, 1982, pp.43-4. The fact that the Jaipur Garden Carpet is a ‘vase’-technique carpet, meaning that it was woven in Kirman, indicates how successful designs traveled throughout Safavid Persia in the form of portable cartoons. Carpet weavers, who were often commissioned by wealthy individuals or the court, were able to draw on varied sources of inspiration because most carpets were woven from such cartoons which were produced and disseminated throughout the Safavid empire.