Shirvan long rug

Once part of the renowned Meyer Mueller collection of fine oriental rugs, this is a stellar example of weaving from the Shirvan area of the Caucasus. Often, rugs of this type are seen with a busy(almost distractingly so) array of various elements on the field. This example features a spacious handling of a variety of design elements, combining them into an intriguing composition. The primary medallions (or göls) could be seen on any rug from Central Asia including even a Kyrgyz weaving, suggesting the pan Asian influence of patterning. The secondary guls with extensions protruding in a seemingly random fashion, are also drawn with enough room to breathe, uncrowded , though surrounded by multi color stars and more. The primary borders are drawn as they should be the diagonal lines, if extended from either side border, would cross one another rather than run parallel. The manner in which this border is resolved at the top and bottom, coming together to form a ‘peak’ (at the top) or a ‘V’ at the bottom, is testimony to the planning exercised by expert weavers, as is the resolution of these borders in all four corners. The woman weavers never missed a beat. Given the workshop origin, this rug is characterized by their mastery at the loom rather than the graph from which the design may have been woven. Whit2024