Beschreibung:

An Indian copy of the great 16th century “Ardabil” carpets. The large central medallion is characteristic of carpets woven in Tabriz (North West Persia) and the fantastic design of the ground of the carpet consisting of two layers of swirling leaves, stems and flowers is typical of the art of the early Safavid dynasty. Early 20th century. 481×325 cm. Provenance: Danish private collection. The carpet was purchased in Constantinopel by the dane Mr. Niels Bøgh Vilhelm while serving as international judge in Egypt in the early 20th century. Literature (related ex.): Cecil Edwards. The Persian Carpet, 1953. The Ardabil carpet, plate 1. The Ardabil carpets are a pair of twins, woven in Persia in the 16th century. One of the carpets are exhibited in Victoria and Albert Museum, London, and the other one in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Apart from the Pazaryk rug, the Ardabil carpets are the most famous carpets in the world. The carpets are woven in 1539–40 according to the dated inscriptions. The carpets were almost certainly a royal commission and would have taken about four years each to weave. The origin remain unclear but it is said to have come from a complex of shrines and mosques at Ardabil in North West Persia, burial place of Shaikh Safi al-Din, ancestor of Shah Ismail, founder of the Safavid dynasty.
Condition report on request. Please contact: carpets@bruun-rasmussen.dk