SHIRVAN
Southeast Caucasian Antique Rug

(High-Collectible) Top-tier early rugs woven by the tribespeople living in the soaring Caucasus Mountains possess a remarkable depth of defining artistry, as the stellar pieces of great age in our collection demonstrate. This magnum opus at least 175-year-old Shirvan rug is magnificently organized, offering an appealing range of scale to create a rich tapestry of visual elements. Here a striking diversity of exotically stylized flowerheads and split palmette motifs, presented in pairs, are impressive in their clarity of line. The exquisite palette is a master's display of lost dye brewing recipes that pairs sumptuous jewel hues with delicate, low-key shades in a sonorous symphony of color. The beguiling and unprecedented main border evokes an ancient past with almost hieroglyphic geometricized emblems. Its juxtaposition to the field is a testament to this intrepid weaver's virtuoso vision to combine seemingly disparate styles that are an obvious compositional success. The accompanying "Ocean Wave" design of the inner minor band may harken to a Classical Mediterranean influence, surviving through deep time.

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