LESGHI, Southern Central Caucasian
3' 7" x 6' 4" Circa 1875 Price: $8,000
(High-Decorative)
The graphic rendition of iconic ‘Lesghi Star’ emblems in this nomadic piece dazzles the eye, its clarity enhanced by a patina earned over time. A panoply of glittering diamonds and diminutive crosses are spontaneously scattered like constellations across the midnight ground, conveying a sense of a starry sky and enlivening the ancient patterns. It demonstrates the Caucasian penchant for unaffected spontaneity. Paralleled by emerald green carnation vines and pinwheel daisies, the ashik guls of the primary border, often found in Turkoman rugs, effectively complement the central Lesghi theme, illustrating the cross-pollination of motifs among peripatetic rug weaving groups. Its low pile and minor repiling bring this highly artistic rug into the High-Decorative price point.