Kerman | 342 x 267 cm | Nr. 16839

Floral Kerman, wine red with border and medallion

Origin	Persia
Dimensions	342 cm x 267 cm (= 9.13 m²)
Construction	hand-knotted
Material	Pile: wool Weft & Warp: cotton
knots per m²2	300.000
Pile height	8mm
Year of manufacture	1970
Colour	Wine red
Edition	one-of-a-kind piece

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.

Pattern

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

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

At the heart of this Kerman's central field lies the symmetrical centre, also known as the medallion. The design of the field is subordinate to the medallion, so that the medallion seems to float on the field.

The background of this Kerman is wine red. The border is worked in beige, dark blue and light blue. In the beige centre, light blue and lilac are combined.

Condition

This Kerman has a story to tell. It was hand-knotted around 1970. We have cleaned it thoroughly and lovingly restored it. Despite its age, it is therefore in very good condition.

Material

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