KERMANSHAH, Western Persian
4' 5" x 6' 8" 3rd Quarter, 19th Century Price: $8,000
(High-Decorative)
A perfectly proportioned ornate medallion on a glowing parchment field resembles a cathedral rose window with sixteen radiating points and soft-toned, elaborate flowerheads within that create a dazzling layered effect. On closer examination, each design's individualization attests to the weavers' superior drawing skill rather than a fixation on exactitude. Early Kermanshahs such as this piece offers a staggering palette of difficult to-deeply-dye subtle tones of pink yarrow, maize, dusty lavender, green tea, with butternut and oak wood colors that add exquisite articulation to even the most delicate of details. The masterful arabesques in the spandrels and exceptional court-inspired artistry in the borders evoke a timeless beauty from the satellite weaving center established in Kurdistan in the late 18th century and populated by Kirman weavers by order of the Zand dynasty.