Sivas

Appreciation for classical Oriental carpets in the West was elevated at the turn of the century thanks to the increased acquisition of such pieces by preeminent European museums. This piece is itself an antique. Though woven in Anatolia, it may be said to be an homage to a monumental sixteenth century Persian piece in the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum, London known as the ‘Chelsea Carpet’. The proportions of this celebrated Safavid Persian piece, woven most probably for a large Persian palace, have been adjusted to comply with more standard Western architecture. In this process, the small medallions of the original have been replaced with a mirrored landscape faithfully conveyed and composed faithfully of the majestic flora and the fauna of the original.