BAKSHAISH "LION AND PHOENIX"
Northwest Persian Antique Rug

(High-Collectible) ("One of “60 Best-of-Their-Type Rugs Sold in 2022") In this singular carpet from the Bakshaish tradition, the weavers placed the unprecedented coupling of a lion and a phoenix, creating an intriguing association. The lion has been a symbol of royalty and power since at least the second millennium BCE. At the time of this weaving, the Persian Qatar rulers took the lion as their dynasty's symbol. For millennia, the triumphant supernatural phoenix bird was thought of by the peoples who inhabited the Persian lands as a protector. Since the motivations of the weavers cannot be known, it is quite possible that these rustic, sensitive artists were giving homage to the master of the earth and the master of the heavens. These magnificent creatures appear in the midst of an overscale centerpiece that displays a dazzling array of cubist flowerheads and angular vinery in tones of coral, azure, rust, and walnut. Vertical pendants jut into a breathtaking midnight sapphire reserve where near the bottom, tiny diamonds redouble the magical appeal of this exceptional carpet. Part of the genius of this impressive, one-in-the-world folk art Bakshaish is the theme of continual creative variation and inspired artistic surprises, all without losing sight of the overall harmonious orchestration of exceptionally diverse motifs and eloquent juxtapositions of color.

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