Mahal carpet

This Mahal carpet from central Persia combines large scale with graceful design using an all over field pattern. Flowering palmettes, foliage, and blossoms are drawn in vertical formations and are linked by small trellises and vine scroll. The lighter tones of the design illuminate against the deep indigo ground. A contrasting ochre border frames the piece. The rug is drawn with elegant curvilinear contours of a quality rarely seen in carpets of the late 19th century, echoing a much earlier Persian aesthetic.