Tabriz carpet

Tabriz carpets are rightfully seen as among the most refined and elegant Persian carpets of the late 19th century. This exceptional over-sized Tabriz draws a field of curvilinear arabesque vine-scroll blossoming with classical palmettes and interspersed with cloud-band design. The precision of design is fantastic with paired spirals emanating from focal points creating rich circular quatrefoil lobes. Tabriz has been a weaving center for rugs from at least the 15th century and perhaps before. Though a continuous unbroken tradition from the classical early Safavid period of the 16th century until the 19th century seems unlikely, it still may be said that Tabriz weaving of the revival period of the 19th century is frequently self-referential. Here the grammar of ornament has been inspired by classical Tabrizi prototypes of the Safavid era. While revitalizing earlier design and drawing, color is slightly muted reliant on subtle but sophisticated contrast of gold tones and accents of blue and green against the light red field. In recent years, many semi-antique Tabriz carpets have been chemically stripped and violently altered to approximate the look of earlier 19th century pieces. Such harsh bleaching ultimately fails to replicate the subtle qualities of genuine antique Tabriz carpets. This carpet, however, is the real thing.