Indo-Isfahan rug

Throughout the 17th century, Persian modes and models played a vital role in the development of the arts in India. Persian artists, craftsmen and poets readily found patronage at the Mughal court and throughout the empire. During the second half of the 17th century, carpets with distinctive lac-dyed red grounds, in the milieu of those of Isfahan in Persia, were woven in India. The exact place of manufacture of these ‘Indo-Isfahan’ carpets is not completely clear, though several northern Indian centers have been proposed. While slightly coarser than their Persian counterparts, the quality of drawing of these pieces is surprisingly precise. The articulate drawing of these rugs, with the ability to convey truly curvilinear and often circular motifs, often surpasses Persian models. This elegant rug paints a classic Persian arrangement of palmettes and cloud bands, spaciously drawn and traced by sinuous arabesque vine-scroll. A matching arrangement of palmettes frames the field within a deep green border. It is interesting to note that the same lac dye used in earlier Persian carpets from Isfahan was actually imported from India, demonstrating the highly developed contacts of these neighboring empires.