An Isphahan carpet, Central Persia,

The carpets of Isphahan comprise one of the largest extant groups of 17^th century weavings, testifying to their enduring popularity and appreciation from the time they were woven.  Not only favoured in the east, they were also sought-after status symbols in the west, both contemporaneously, as is evidenced by their depiction in numerous, particularly Dutch, 17^th century paintings, for example Woman with a Water Jug, by Jan Vermeer (1632-1675), now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Acc.No.89.15.21), and in the present day.  The Vermeer painting illustrates the 17^th century European convention of laying the carpet over a table, as a prized household possession.  Nearer our own time, the heyday of Isphahan carpets was during the early years of the 20^th century; in the 1920’s, particularly amongst wealthy Americans, they were considered the ideal furnishing carpet. In the sale at the American Art Association, New York of XV-XVIII Century Rugs, The Private Collection of Messsrs. Vitall and Leopold Benguiat, on 4 December, 1925, lots 71 and 72, catalogued as ‘Isphahan, 16^th century’, made $78,000 and $75,000 respectively, equivalent to a purchase price of around $900,000 each today.  

Isphahan carpets were made in differing qualities, from the superlative late 16^th century Safavid courtly examples, woven on silk warps, such as the Rothschild Isphahan, sold Sotheby’s New York, 14 September, 2001, lot 221, to more commercial grades for export.  The majority of the extant carpets range in length from around 12 to 15 feet (350 to 450cm.), suggesting this was the most easily marketable size (ideal for use on a refectory table for example); carpets of the scale of the lot offered are comparatively rare within the genre, possibly only made on commission.  Examples of pieces on a similar scale are two carpets now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, see Dimand, M.S. and Mailey, J., Oriental Rugs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1973, figs.97 & 99; Pope, A.U., A Survey of Persian Art, London and New York, 1939, Vol.VI, pl.1180 and the carpet from the J. Paul Getty Museum, sold Sotheby’s New York, 8 December, 1980, lot 6.

Aside from its relatively rare size, this carpet is also distinguished by its unusual border, composed of pairs of opposing arabesque leaves, the tip of each hooking onto the stem of its partner, and each pair flanking a palmette encircled by a cloud scroll collar.  This undulating design creates vivacity in the border unusual in this group, which more typically have alternating large and smaller palmettes linked by vine scrolls.  Other carpets with similarly rhythmic borders, such as the 16^th century Isphahan arabesque carpet in the Corcoran Gallery of Art, illustrated Dimand, op.cit., fig.118 and the early 17^th century carpet, then ascribed to East Persia, see Pope, op.cit., pl.1179a, indicate the genesis of the border seen here, whilst the closest parallel is probably the Isphahan carpet formerly in the collection of J. Paul Getty, sold Sotheby’s New York, 8 December, 1990, lot 5.  More than three hundred years after its manufacture, this carpet with its harmonious overall design and rhythmic border continues to provide a graceful and elegant decorating solution.