Persian Rugs - The Islimi Rug Design

The arabesques that have so much importance in Persian rugs can also take on special shapes, as is the case with islimi motif. It consists simply of stem twisted around itself in a spiral, usually ending in two forked leaves that often continue and complicate the overall design. Whether extremely thin and calligraphic or thick and more overt, islimi motifs in general are accompanied by flowers and leaves; in carpet decoration they usually appear multiplied in complex arabesques in the field (especially around the central medallion); less often they are found repeated in smaller sizes in the main border. The motif is also known as aslimi or eslimi, but the name's precise meaning remains obscure. Some scholars think it comes from the word Islam, since it is a motif typical of Islamic arts in general, but this is a hypothesis born in the West. Others claim it is in some way related to a sultan named Selim or a miniaturist named Aslim; still others give it the meaning of "serpentine", since its form resembles that of a twisted snake, or "branch" or "bud", because it is used as a plant element. Whatever its derivation, it appeared in Persian rugs during the 16th century, if not earlier, first in somewhat rigid forms, but it was used chiefly in the 17th century with a decidedly curvilinear and complex design. It was brought back into use during the 19th century, finding application in the carpets made in Kerman and Meshed; even today it is one of the antique Persian designs most often imitated.

Persian Rugs - The Ardebil Rug Design

The magnificent Ardebil rug is one of the great masterpieces of the art of knotting from both the technical and decorative points of view. Very large (34 feet 6 inches x 17 feet 6 inches), it hs a silk foundation and wool pile; the knotting system is of the asymmetrical type. A cartouche located near the end of one of the short sides of the field bears, together with several poetic verses, the date 946 (which corresponds to 1539-1540 of the Christian era) and a name: "Maksud of Kashan," perhaps the creator of the design or the buyer of the carpet. According to some scholars, the rug was donated by "Maksud" to the mosque in the Persian city of Ardebil, from which the carpet takes its name, but this is no more than a hypothesis. Also in discussion is its provenance, debated between Tabriz and Kashan. The sumptuous decoration of the carpet represents the stylistic zenith reached by a Persian

Persian Rugs

medallion layout. The central rosette, divided into 16 sections, is surrounded by 16 almond-shaped pendants. Along the longitudinal axis are two mosque lamps, and from the corners of the field spread quarter sections of the central medallion; the rest of the field is enlivened by an intricate arabesque decorated by small floral elements. Three minor borders, one decorated with the cloudband motif, accompany the main border, decorated with cartouches of various shape. The colors are very varied and harmonized; standing out against the intense blue of the medallion and the corner sections and the different colors of the other designs, with a decided predominance of red and blue. The general effect is at once imposing and harmonious. The rug came to England at the end of the last century and is now in the Victoria and Albert Museum of London.

Persian Rugs - The Shah Abbas Pamette Rug Design

During the reign of Shah Abbas I the Great 91587-1629), the Persian court's greatest miniature artists amused themselves by creating luxurious and elaborate designs to transfer to carpets; aside from decorative inventions, they turned in some cases to the transformation and stylistic adaptation of motifs that were already known and consolidated by the general artistic tradition. Among these was the palmette, an ancient floral motif inspired by the fan-shaped leaves of the palm or the lily. When the palmette first appeared in rugs at the beginning of the 16th century its form was still somewhat rigid, but by the end of that century it had become lusher, so much so that it was transformed onto the leading floral element if carpet decoration.

Best-Priced Oriental Rugs

The artists of the court of Shah Abbas elaborated the palmette into richer and more naturalistic forms, creating palmettes still slightly closed, as though budding, and therefore of elongated form, and "flaming" palmettes, by which was meant those already flowering, with open corollas fringed with numerous petals spread in a sunburst. These new floral elements, designed in honor of the sovereign, were baptized Shah Abbas palmettes. In the decoration of carpets they are used joined by curvilinear vines and ornamented with falciform leaves. The new composition enjoyed great success in all Persian rugs, even during later centuries, and its basic design came to be called the Shah Abbas design.

 

Tagged with: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Filed under: Oriental Rug Lovers

Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!