Bidjar runner

This exceedingly pleasing Bidjar runner approaches the long and narrow format in a playful and novel manner. During the late 19th century the Kurdish town of Bijar and its surrounding area became a major Persian carpet producing center, weaving a variety of rugs and carpets both small and large. Central medallions were a popular design format used in these carpets. While a variety of all-over designs appear in Bidjar pieces, here a design based on a repeating prominent central medallion is skillfully improvised. Runners were traditionally paired with large carpets so it is likely that this piece was woven as part of a set, of which the central piece was a large medallion carpet. Indeed, khaki panels drawing colorful linked palmettes of the type used in the borders of large Bidjar carpets are set at the top and bottom of this runner. Throughout this piece color is exceptional and vivid contrasting saturated madder red with deep indigo while gold and even green is used for accenting and highlight. Bidjar carpets are renowned for their sturdy construction and the this runner meets the same standards as larger Bidjar pieces.