News & Information on Antique Oriental Rugs and Persian Carpets

The tradition of hunting is deeply immersed within Persian epic history. Years before the first hunting scene carpet was ever woven, hunting stories were passed down orally for over 1300 years. Because this practice was so deeply embedded in Persian culture, it is no surprise that weavers portrayed hunting scenes in their work as early as the 16th century. These hunting designs show no specificity…they do not directly refer to any particular person or historical event. In the rare case when a specific individual is depicted, he is distinguished by his manner of dress or an inscription within the rug. Because hunting was considered such a distinguished act, these carpets represent a part of princely life. Furthermore, many hunting scene rugs were originally commissioned for nobility and royalty.

This specific Tabriz, woven in Azerbaijan circa 1880, has an extremely artistic design that elevates this piece from an ordinary rug to an exquisite work of art. Upon close examination, one can see that so much time and effort went into executing such a marvelous motif. This hunting scene features an asymmetrical design that spans the whole field with a great sense of movement. Usually, the objects in pictorial rugs seem very stationary, as if the subjects were posing motionless. However, this master weaver has achieved something that is rarely seen…he was able to capture not only the characters, but also the passion that drives them. Every scene flows into the next so fluidly, it is hard to tell where one ends and the other begins. Framing the majestic field, the animal design carries into the border, bringing an overall continuity to the rug.

Tabriz, the central city of Eastern Azarbaijan, is one of the oldest cities in Iran to which Moghadassi, the tenth century AD geographer refers as “a very beautiful, prosperous and developed city.” The story of Tabriz is one of repeated destruction, survival, restoration and revival. In 791 A.D., it was rebuilt after a devastating earthquake. It rose again after earthquakes in 858, 1041, 1721 and 1780 A.D. It survived the invasion of the moguls, the Ottomans the Afghans and two Russian occupations, one in 1827, and the other under Stalin’s regime in 1941.

Some of the most artistic expressions of the sixteenth-century Persian craft were produced in Tabriz. However, from the time of the Afghan invasions in 1722 until the late 19th century, the karkhounes (workshops) ceased to exist and the craft returned to the level of the village weaver making no more than sufficient for his own needs.

At the end of the 19th century, three inspired Persian master-weavers, Hajji Jallili, Sheik Safi and Kurban Dai were the flames of the revival sparked by an ever-increasing demand from western markets.

Tabriz carpets very diversified in weave and design, including the corner medallion design, palmette flowers, weeping willow, cypress tree, geometrical patterns, prayer-niche and hunting scene designs. Pictorial Tabriz rugs are also very well known. Some Tabriz carpets are decorated with imaginary motifs as well as Persian poetry.

References:

The Splendor of Persian Carpets by E. Gans-Ruedin
The Carpet Museum of Iran
Metropolitan Museum of Art, Islamic Art Department

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