Image Carpets

Antique Oushak Rug – 201530

Oushak carpets from around 1900 borrow designs liberally from classic Persian archetypes, but always give them a twist uniquely their own. The gold field of this coarsely knotted, long pile carpet from western Turkey displays an informal version of the harshang pattern in which palmettes, stiff vine segments and myriad tiny flowers float and jostle in lively movement.  The ivory main border of irregular palmettes and geometric rosettes continues the rustic informality. Although Oushak carpets were made in large workshops, continuing a tradition reaching back to the 15th century, they never come across as scripted, designed or planned. The weavers were given plenty of latitude to make, as here, a   charming and naive creation.  The tonality is slightly muted and Oushaks generally have palettes unique to the genre: shrimp, grass green, pale blue, old gold and orange are among the  ususual field tones.