Afshar rug

Afshar weaving of south Persia remains a bit of a contradiction. The Afshar are a nomadic pastoralist people who speak a Turkish dialect. Their pile rugs, however, frequently adopted models Persian textiles from formal urban workshop and other formal weavings. In order to understand this seemingly contradictory set of circumstances it is important to remember that throughout Persia and beyond, various nomadic groups accumulated tremendous wealth and had access to both national and international discourse. This Afshar rug depicts neoclassical column formations complete with capitals and decorative birds. This theme originates in Persian urban workshop design integrating international influence from the West. Its articulation here, however, is completely in keeping with Persian tribal weaving aesthetics with an emphasis on color over exact form and the blurring of foreground and background. Indeed, it is executed with some of the softest and most tactile wool and vibrant natural dyes seen anywhere in Persia during the 19th century.