Kerman Lavar | 122 x 60 cm | Nr. Z-399

Floral Kerman Lavar, multicoloured with border and medallion

Origin

The city of Kerman (also Kirman) lies in the south-east of Persia at around 2,000 metres above sea level. Kerman sits on the old caravan routes and looks back on centuries of tradition in both craft and trade. Kerman is mentioned in Marco Polo's travel account Il Milione. Rugs from Kerman are marked by fine patterns, flowing lines and soft gradations of colour. The classic patterns of the 19th century are often figurative. Hunting scenes and animals were depicted, as were mythological figures and historical personalities. The broad palette of Kerman rugs is enriched above all by its many shades of red, traditionally obtained from the cochineal insect.

This rug comes from the village of Levar near Kerman, yet it shows the pattern typical of Kerman rugs.

Pattern

The edge of the rug is graced by a surround (border). The border forms a wonderful contrast to the centre.

The lavish floral motifs of this Kerman Lavar are elegant and full of variety. The graceful plant symbols, depicting blossoms, leaves and branches, are artfully intertwined.

At the heart of this Kerman Lavar's central field lies the symmetrical centrepiece, also known as the medallion. The design of the field takes its lead from the medallion, giving the impression that the medallion is floating on the field.

The background of this Kerman Lavar is golden beige. Overall, the rug glows with colour. The border is worked in light red and olive green. The centre is multicoloured.

Condition

This Kerman Lavar has had admirers before you. It was hand-knotted around 1960. It has been thoroughly cleaned and is in good, though only partly restored, condition. The edges and fringes could do with some repair here and there. We haven't fully restored this Kerman Lavar because we think it has a special presence just as it is. If you'd like, we're of course happy to carry on restoring the rug for you. We can bring almost any rug back to near-perfect condition.

Material

The pile of this Kerman Lavar was hand-knotted from high-quality new wool. New wool is obtained by gently shearing sheep. It is a renewable, natural raw material with a range of impressive properties: thanks to the natural lanolin in the wool, the surface repels droplets of water and is therefore naturally protected against dirt. Wool also provides excellent thermal insulation, helps regulate the indoor climate and dampens sound. The weft and warp threads of this Kerman Lavar are made of cotton. This versatile material is tear-resistant and elastic, which makes it particularly well suited to a hard-wearing foundation.