Photo
by John O'Hara/
The Chronicle |
An
early 19th century Ferahan Sarouk, featuring a
bold-colored medallion center surrounded by pastel
florals, is among Jan David Winitz's offerings
at Claremont Rug Co. in Oakland.
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Rugs
Express Their Weavers' Artistic Vision
By
Bill English
Special
to the Chronicle
An excerpt from The San Francisco
Chronicle, April 26, 2000
Art
can sometimes be off the wall. You might even find it
on the floor.
With
a tradition dating back 4,000 years, the oriental rug
long has been seen as an elegant way to enhance the
beauty of an interior space. For centuries these woven
masterpieces have been created by simple peasants in
six great carpet producing areas: Iran, Turkey, the
Caucasus, Turkestan, India and China. Within these regions
an amazing assortment of designs has emerged from hundreds
of villages. Names like Kirman, Tabriz, Kazak and Mir
have become well known to rug collectors throughout
the world.
But
are these treasured textiles a true art form or simply
a well evolved craft? What elements of a 100-year old
carpet allow it to transcend mere weaving and enter
the realm of mystical inspiration? And is it possible
for this transcendental aspect to be reproduced today?
The
issue of art or craft isn’t cut and dried, says
Mark Hopkins, 68, from Lincoln, Mass., who is president
of the New England Rug Society.
"The
pieces of the weavers created on their looms for pleasure
or to use can be considered art," Hopkins says.
"However, many urban rugs made for the commercial
marketplace are woven from a cartoon--a drawing by a
designer which the weaver is given to copy. In this
instance, the art of the design is not with the women
who wove but with the designer. The weaver ends up being
the carpenter who builds the house."
Many
Eastern cultures do not draw the distinction between
art and craft as Westerners do, says Diane Mott, associate
curator of textiles for the Fine Arts Museums of San
Francisco who oversees the oriental rug collections
for the DeYoung Museum.
"If
the creation of these rugs were simply a craft, you
wouldn’t find the wide variance of talent that
these weavers display," Mott says. "Some of
the women weaving these carpets are clearly more artistically
gifted than others. While some weavers may simply copy
old designs, others put more of themselves into their
rugs. A young woman weaving a rug for her dowry might
put all of her aspirations for her future into her design.
This will have a profound effect on her aesthetic decisions."
The
creation of the natural dyes used in these rugs is itself
an art form," Mott adds."There is definitely
something magical about the creation of the various
natural dyes," she says. "It’s fascinating
that people with such a basic technology were able to
determine the different steps required to achieve these
vibrant colors. An indigo leaf does not produce blue
in its natural state. It must be mixed with other substances.
That is definitely an art."
Alan
Marcuson, a London rug dealer, says consumers should
never become overly confident when selecting what they
feel in an art-level carpet.
"There
are no easy rules," Marcuson says. "It’s
wishful thinking for the average layman to enter the
marketplace and think they can easily determine what
makes a great rug. It takes years of study to tell the
difference between an art-level carpet and the morass
of ugly rugs out there.
Knowing
a Rug
After
two decades in the business, Jan David Winitz,
president of Claremont Rug Co. in Oakland, says
antique rugs still surprise him every day. The soul
of the weaver often reveals itself slowly to the eye.
Fresh and exciting motifs, along with the subtle variations
of hues, continue to emerge as one comes to know a rug.
Winitz,
who has been dealing in antique and semi-antique oriental
rugs for 20 years, is certain that what he sells can
be called art.
As
he stands at the center of a 150-year old Persian Serapi
carpet, he gazes at the majestically spacious design
with wonder, as if seeing it for the first time. The
rug features an open field of the same color with stripes
of differing shades known as abrash. These distinctive
stripes are the mark of a vegetable-dyed carpet.
"A
truly fine rug is an individual artistic expression,"
Winitz says. "It’s a unified work where a
moment of inspiration is frozen in time. A great rug
can have an almost impres-sionistic feeling. It captures
an element of rapture."
But
is it fair to compare the weaver’s art with that
of a painter or a sculptor? In truth, aren’t these
simple peasants following a well trod path of tradition
and working within the strict boundaries that their
tribes dictate? Isn’t their inspiration derived
from the villages in which they were born?
"There
is no room in craft for the inspired quality that these
fine old pieces display," Winitz says. "These
carpets have a presence that can affect us deeply. When
these pieces were being created, most frequently by
women, the weavers often chanted. Their inspiration
comes from a very deep source."
It
is this sense of mystery and harmony with nature that
first attracts many collectors to oriental rugs. A spectacular
rug puts us in touch with the cosmological elements
of another culture. We can sense the weaver’s connection
to nature in the flowers and animals they have chosen
to portray.
Collectors
who have graced their homes with these rare old carpets
quickly realize that a dazzling mid-19th century Bakshaish
can easily hold its own against the most dramatic Picasso.
A fine antique carpet powerfully anchors a room with
whimsical design and sublime color.
Your
floor becomes a focal point. Something to be seen appreciated.
But should we walk on these precious textiles? Might
normal family traffic through a living room end up destroying
a rare piece of Middle Eastern cultural tradition? Winitz
assures visitors to his gallery that walking on these
old carpets only enhances their beauty.
"These
rugs are, of course, perishable but extremely durable,"
Winitz says. "In truth, walking on an antique rug
gives the wool a lustrous patina that is highly desirable."
True,
but wise collectors must consider their lifestyles before
spending $100,000 on a 150-year old rug for the dining
room floor. One must be careful to place an antique
rug where it might receive uneven or heavy wear. After
all, these rugs have proven to be an investments worth
protecting. Many old and rare carpet have increased
in value by a much as 20 percent over the last few decades.
Currently,
high-quality rugs from the 19th century or earlier are
expensive enough to warrant careful consideration. At
Claremont Rug Co., room-size carpets start at $25,000,
and palace-size pieces easily run into six figures.
An oversize carpet with more than 300 knots per square
inch might take a group of weavers 10 years to create.
For
many people these rugs are simply out of reach. Winitz
is the first to admit his clientele is very select.
Not everyone looking for an oriental carpet has the
means or the the eye to appreciate or afford what he
sells.
It
takes many years of research and study to even begin
to know rugs. Winitz deals exclusively in pre-1930 rugs
at his main store. Most feature vegetable dyes from
such natural sources as madder root (red), wild saffron
(reddish yellow), indigo (blue) and various herbs, insects
and minerals, all of which result in warm and luminous
colors.
"There
are basically three different designations of rugs in
regards to age," Winitz says. "For a rug to
be called antique it is generally agreed that it must
be at least 100 years old. Semi-antique rugs are from
50 up to 100 years old. Anything newer than 50 years
old is considered modern or con temporary."
The
source of these antique rugs is limited, and the demand
is high. Since these carpets began to be created mainly
for export to Europe and America in the 1920’s,
their quality went down significantly.
An
oriental carpet can become a wonderful addition to any
household, but it deserves to be chosen with the care
and respect it deserves. Only then can it be appreciated
as a true art form.
Quick
Tips
•
Check for wear. In rugs up to 80 years old, there should
be little wear or evidence of repair. Rugs more than
100 years old are allowed some repairs and wear depending
on their rarity and desirability.
•
Learn. Always seek out a knowledgeable dealer who is
willing to give you the gift of his or her time. Get
to know rugs before making a substantial purchase. Discover
as much as you can about the various villages and the
people who create these carpets.
•
Accept changing taste. Be aware that knowing rugs is
a process. As your knowledge increases, your taste may
change. Most high-quality dealers will allow you to
trade in your previously owned carpets as your passion
evolves.
Restoration
and Repair
Many
antique rugs show evidence of restoration and repair.
Carpets significantly over than 100 years old may have
repairs that are themselves more than 50 years old,
or they may have restoration work completed in the last
few years.
Repair
quality varies greatly from rug to rug. High-quality
restoration is barely visible to the naked eye.
Always
check a rug both front and back for evidence of repair
work. Ill-advised or shoddy repair work is less desirable
than a rug that needs repair and has nothing done to
it.
Almost
all rugs can be repaired if their completed value warrants
the cost. One rule of thumb to follow: The older and
rarer the rug, the more repairs and restoration are
acceptable. Extensive work on an early to mid-19th century
carpet with an inspired design will do little to diminish
its value. However, even modest repair on a rug from
the 20th century can greatly affect its worth.
A
reputable dealer will always point out where repair
work has been done before you make a purchase.
Buying
a rug in need of restoration can be costly. It is not
uncommon for a room-size rug in need of work to cost
thousands of dollars to restore.
Remember,
condition is a key element in a rug’s value. Pristine
carpets always bring a premium.
_____________________________
-Bill English, who financed his college education by
selling oriental rugs, is a free-lance writer based
in Kenwood.
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