An Oushak 'small medallion' rug, West Anatolia

Alexander, C., A Foreshadowing of 21^st Century Art The Color and Geometry of Very Early Turkish Carpets, New York, 1993, pp. 214 - 215, ill. pp. 106 (details) & 215.

Spuhler. F., König. H., Volkmann. M., Alte Orienteppiche Meisterstücke aus Privatsammlungen, Munich, 1978, pp. 47 & 47, pl. 9.

Overall measurements; 111cm across the top, 110cm across the bottom, 143cm the left hand side, 146cm the right hand side. Pile 1mm and down to the knot-heads and foundation is places. Upper and lower end guards are both later. There are small reweaves, repiles in places. Small areas of localised repiling include for example the pale pink in lower border in the centre of the alternating palmettes and other small repairs for example to centre of left inner guard to the area of yellow and to the horizontal intentional lazy line on the left hand side. Some areas spot areas of repiling and reweaving overall in the main field, for example to the right of the central lozenge. Re-overcast side cords. Lovely drawing and compositional balance, with charming details to the border and attractive delicate 'archaic design' spandrels.
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These ‘small medallion’ or ‘double niche’ rugs are recognisable by their red fields and mihrab composition. As opposed to a prayer rug, the niche is replicated at either end, often with a mosque urn or stylised motif to denote the upper end – as in the present lot. This rug is boldly defined by the cloudband spandrels, which in turn, if joined, would fill the space of the open field, currently occupied by the small medallion. Such use of introverted, or substrate, patterns was also employed by so called ‘Lotto’ carpets, examples of which are within this collection, see lots 51 and 122. For a comprehensive discussion of such multiple layered designs see Pinner. R., ‘Multiple and Substrate Designs in Early Anatolian & East Mediterranean Carpets’, Hali, 1988, issue 42, pp. 27 -30.

There are only very slight variations in design within the group, notably in the design of the mihrab, spandrels and borders. The mihrab and spandrels each have two differing designs; the mihrab is defined by the spandrel outline, which is divided between a stylised trellised vinery or arabesque, and the other, as in the present work, a cloudband motif. Their popularity in the West is made evident by their appearance in European paintings, dating back to the early 16th century. An example of a cloudband rug can be seen within Calling of St. Matthew, by Girolamo da Santacroce, signed and dated 1519, Bassano, Museo Civico.

This ‘small medallion’ shares similar elements, and border design, to a select group of other rugs within the group. For one such example, from the Textile Museum, Washington, which, like the offered lot, has the border cloudbands facing out, see Völker. A., ‘Uberlegunungen zur Neuafstellung der Orienteppichesammlung deds Östereichischen Museums für angewandte Kunst in Wien’ Hali, December 1989, issue 48, p. 43. Another example with the yellow border cloudbands facing outwards can be seen in the Metropolitan Museum, acc. no. 22.100.111, formerly in the James F. Ballard Collection and a ‘small medallion’ sharing this feature and colour palette sold Christie’s New York, 8 December 2008, lot 50. On reviewing A Foreshadowing of 21^st Century Art it is clear to see that what drew Alexander to many, if not all, of the pieces in his collection are their exemplary vibrancy in colour and it is this which also drew him to the offered lot. The yellow which expands from the very centre of the quatrefoil medallion to  the outer tip of the cloudband border is both striking and compelling.  One example to appear at auction, which bears similar field design and use of colour sold Sotheby’s London, 8 October 2014, lot 192.