Armenian Karabagh

Knotted with thick lustrous wool pile, this Karabagh carpet demonstrates many of the best tactile and visual traits of these village rugs from the South Caucasus. Perhaps in an homage to traditions from neighboring Northwest Persia, a golden lattice composed from serrated leaf forms is punctuated by stylized paisleys or boteh. The sense of color, however, is distinctly Caucasian with a veritable rainbow array of vegetable-derived tones with particularly excellent double-dyed greens and purples. The dark ground is a favorite choice among weavers from this region and brilliantly magnifies the colors used against it, adding to a sense of depth. The piece is inscribed in Armenian and dated 1880, which is on the earlier side for a dated Karabagh.