Image Carpets

Antique Bakhtiari Rug – 220103

This is a classic lozenge lattice Bakhtiari carpet with both giant scale drawing and a palette of saturated, bright colours, all from natural sources.  The panels contain various abstract plants or geometric motives that could be the whole field ornament on a small rug. There is no overall field colour: the lozenges employ ivory, two shades of blue, red and a golden yellow characteristic of the best Bakhtiari weaving. The navy border of rosettes and small flower arrays ultimately derives from 17th century Kerman carpets.  Panel patterns, either of diamonds or squares in a garden design, are the most popular Bakhtiari layouts in large carpets, of which this is one of the best. The foundation is cotton and the pile is medium length. Bakhtiari carpets always have saturated colour palettes, never muted or softened tones, rivaling Caucasian or Turkish rugs.  They are the products of village weavers in the Chahar Mahal district of central Persia.