Qashqa’i rug
southern Persia
late 19th century
Size: 206 x 117 cm
The Qashqa’i are arguably the most famous of all Persian tribes and their pile rugs are seldom surpassed in beauty.
The women are considered to be perhaps the finest of all Persian tribal weavers and employed a wide variety of both flatweave and pile techniques in their carpet making.
Whilst the motifs used to decorate both pile carpets and kilims were essentially the same, the overall design composition was very different. Here, the juxtaposition of alternating blue and ivory fields is more akin to kilim design.
Symmetrical medallions are surrounded by a profusion of smaller stylized flowers and geometric devices, the ultimate effect of which is harmonious and entertaining.
