Early Isfahan

543 x 244 cm (17' 10" x 8') Persia, 17th century Condition: used, low pile, several old repairs and reweavings, some holes, sides and ends slightly incomplete Warp: cotton, weft: cotton, pile: wool Palace carpets of this type were formerly often referred to as "Indo-Isfahan." On the one hand, some experts had doubts about their exact origin; on the other hand, many of these pieces reached Europe via Portuguese maritime trade. In the 17th century, they appear quite frequently in paintings from the Dutch Golden Age. Under Shah Abbas I (1587-1629), the court workshops of Isfahan - then the Persian capital - produced magnificent carpets of the highest quality. These carpets were not only used to adorn the palaces of the Safavid dynasty but were also highly sought after in the West. The typically red field is covered by an expansive pattern of spiral tendrils. Large palmettes, accompanied by sickle-shaped leaves, alternate with magnificent cloud bands, creating the movement that is both powerful and elegant - a hallmark of these carpets. Many of these pieces were preserved for centuries in European castles and palaces. With the economic decline of numerous European noble families toward the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries, significant examples entered the art market and were acquired primarily by wealthy American collectors. Just how magnificent such carpets can still look in an interior today was demonstrated by the famous English interior designer Robert Kime, who worked, among others, for the then Prince of Wales, the future King Charles III. For his rooms - which he conceived as "refuges" - he had a particular fondness for using old carpets, even those in somewhat rustic condition. For Kime, a single carpet could define an entire room. His interiors thrived precisely on the warmth, patina, and sense of comfort that only objects passed down through generations can convey. Hardly any other group of carpets embodies this combination of great art, history, and lived-in interiors more impressively than the Safavid palace carpets. Estimate: € 10000 - 15000 Starting bid: € 6000

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