Chinese Isfahan | 256 x 176 cm | Nr. Z-4330

Floral Chinese Isfahan, light blue with border and medallion

Origin	China
Dimensions	256 cm x 176 cm (= 4.5056 m²)
Construction	hand-knotted
Material	Pile: kork wool with pure silk Weft: cotton Warp: pure silk
knots per m²2	900.000
Pile height	8mm
Year of manufacture	2005
Colour	Light blue, cream white
Edition	one-of-a-kind piece

Origin

The pattern of this rug takes its cue from the patterns of classic Isfahan rugs. This piece, however, was knotted in China. The city of Isfahan is one of the architectural gems of the Islamic world. It owes its artistic tradition, its historic townscape and its arguably unmatched architecture to the Safavid dynasty and to Shah Abbas in particular. Floral motifs are typical of Isfahan rug patterns. Designs with fourfold or lengthwise symmetry are widespread, with a medallion in the centre surrounded by arabesques, blossoms or birds. The ground colour is usually the classic red, and a luminous blue and a light beige are typical too. With more than 15 shades in most cases, though, the Isfahan is decidedly colourful. The borders are often green-blue and decorated with flowering tendrils and palmettes.

In Iran, the fineness of Isfahan knotting is stated in cheft. Cheft are fine, usually blue vertical lines along the lower end webs. The closer the lines, the finer the knotting.

To this day, many Isfahan rugs carry a discreetly knotted inscription in Persian script along the lower edge, the so-called signature. It names the maker, the provenance Isfahan and often the country as well, either as the word Iran or as the Iranian national flag in green, white and red.

Rugs from the Seirafian workshop are especially sought after. The late master knotter Haj Agha Reza Seirafian lived from 1881 to 1975. Today he is known as the creator of the famous Seirafian rugs. Before he turned to rug production, Haj Agha Reza was a private banker in Isfahan. The Seirafian family still makes rugs today from the templates and designs of Haj Agha Reza Seirafian.

Pattern

The decorated surround (border) forms a beautiful contrast to the centre and shapes the transition at the edge of the rug.

The lavish floral motifs of this Isfahan are elegantly drawn and full of variety. The graceful plant symbols, depicting blossoms, leaves and branches, are artfully intertwined.

At the heart of this Isfahan's central field sits the symmetrical centrepiece, also known as the medallion. The design of the field is subordinate to the medallion, giving the impression that the medallion is floating on the field.

The background of this Isfahan is cream white. The overall impression is also dominated by light blue and cream white. The border is worked in light blue, cream white and beige.

Condition

This Isfahan has had admirers before you. The rug has a few small stains. It was hand-knotted around 2005. We have cleaned it thoroughly and restored it with great care. Despite its age, it is therefore in very good condition.

Material

The pile of this Isfahan was hand-knotted from kork wool and silk. Kork wool, also written kurk wool, is a particularly fine-threaded knotting yarn with an almost velvety feel. Kork wool is taken from the neck, the belly and the inner sides of the sheep's legs and is of especially high quality. The pattern of this Isfahan is picked out in lustrous pure silk, which is obtained by hand from the cocoons of the silkworm. The silk elements create a shimmering contrast and make the colours glow in different shades, depending on how the light falls. The weft threads of this Isfahan are made of cotton. The warp threads are made of pure silk .