32

Southeastern Iran, probably Kerman
Fragment of a  "Vase "-Technique Carpet, 17th century
 

This small fragment seems to be one of three remaining pieces of what was once a large carpet.¹  Against its dark blue ground the trees of a Persian garden were depicted: a plane tree with multicolored leaves on this fragment, and cypresses and flowering fruit trees on the other two. Atop this woodsy landscape appeared a trellis of thick, veined stems bearing sickle-shaped leaves and floral palmettes, parts of which are visible here. No intact rug with this design is known to exist. The carpet from which this fragment comes belonged to a group misleadingly termed "vase" or "vase"-technique rugs. Some carpets of this group display flower vases in their designs, but what unites them all is a distinctive structure that includes the use of two thick wefts and a thin one between each row of knots. When the thin weft breaks, as it does over time, warps are released and form parallel lines along the length of the rug, as can be seen on the front surface of this fragment.  "Vase" carpets are thought to have been woven throughout the l7th century in Kerman, one of the cities where Shah 'Abbas set up carpet weaving factories. The most elaborate were probably made to order for the Safavid court in Isfahan; many others, perhaps including the one to which this piece belonged, were produced commercially for wealthy clients.

J.B.

1. A second fragment, from the top left of the carpet, is in the Burrell Collection of the Glasgow Art Gallery and Museum. A third, the top right corner, is in the Victoria and Albert Museum. These fragments are both more than four feet in length and together give a better idea of what the whole rug would have looked like. They are reproduced in May H. Beattie, Carpets of Central Persia, with Special Reference to Rugs of Kirman, n.p.. World of Islam Festival Publishing Company Ltd., 1976, nos. 18 and 19, pp. 52-53..

 

SIZE: 12 3/4 x 17 3/4 in. (32.4x45 cm.)

WARP:  cotton, Z4S, 2 levels; ivory

WEFT:  wool, Z2S x 2; light brown; silk x 1; blue, ivory

PILE: wool, Z2S, asymmetrical knots open left, h. 16, v. 17, 272 k/sq. in.; ivory, dark brown, red-brown, purple-red, red, pink, yellow-orange, gold, green, light green, dark blue, blue, blue-black

ENDS:  cut

SIDES: cut