Bessarabian kilim

This room-size Romanian kilim was woven at the turn of the century in a style that blends European sensibilities with Near Eastern drawing. Garlands of vine-scroll, blossoms and persianate palmettes surround a central area preserving a hint of a lattice. The area of the eastern Black Sea coast, where this piece was most probably woven, was intimately familiar with Ottoman stylistic models; however, an increasing appreciation for classical Near Eastern carpets within Europe may have been a more immediate influence.