Description

Isfahan

The modern Isfahan of very fine weave, often on a silk foundation and in elaborate Persian curvilinear patterns is a creation of the early 20^th century. The pile is clipped very low, the texture is velvety and the design is sharp often details are piled in silk. They may be signed by the weaver responsible for their creation. In the late 16^th through the early 18^th centuries, carpets of elongated format, usually red, with overall palmette and vine designs are believed to be woven in Isfahan (then capital of Persia). These carpets range from 4’ x 6’ to 15’ x 36’ and when in good condition are among the glories of Islamic art. The best ones are almost all in museums now.