Keshan | 340 x 208 cm | Nr. Z-4489

Floral Keshan, dark blue with border, medallion and paisley

Origin

The central Persian city of Keshan (also written Kashan or Keschan) lies between the mountain slopes of the Zagros range and the Persian desert regions. Thanks to its climate and the caravans that crossed the country, it was – at least until the Safavids moved their seat of government to Isfahan – a flourishing metropolis, known above all for its fabric and rug production. To this day the city is shaped by the elegance and splendour of that era. Keshan rugs are artful textiles made in an age-old tradition. In Keshan, production traditionally took place in the weavers' own homes. The pile is typically knotted from extremely soft wool, which makes it particularly dense and compact.

Pattern

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

At the heart of this Keshan's central field sits the symmetrical centrepiece, 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 lush floral motifs of this Keshan are elegant and full of variety. The graceful plant forms, showing blossoms, leaves and branches, are artfully intertwined.

The pattern of this Keshan is adorned with wonderful paisley motifs. The paisley motif shows a leaf with a pointed, curving tip, rather like a large comma, and recalls the fish-bladder ornament of Gothic art. Its origins lie with the Chaldeans, who evidently used the motif to depict the shoot of the date palm, a tree vital to their survival. The motif spread as far as the Celts, where it was later displaced again by Greek and Roman ornament. Rug patterns containing paisley ornaments are also referred to as Boteh patterns, in Persian Mir-e-butha or Mir-i-bota.

The background of this Keshan is dark blue. The border is worked in dark blue and beige.

Condition

You aren't the first to take a liking to this Keshan. It has had owners before you who valued it and used it. It was hand-knotted around 1970. It has been thoroughly cleaned and is in good but only partially restored condition. The fringes could do with a repair. We haven't restored this Keshan completely, because we feel it has a special charm just as it is. If that's what you'd like, we'll of course happily carry on restoring the rug for you. We can bring almost any rug back to near-perfect condition.

Material

The pile of this Keshan 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 qualities: thanks to the wool's natural lanolin content, the surface repels droplets of water and is naturally proofed against dirt. Wool also offers excellent thermal insulation, helps regulate the indoor climate and dampens sound. The weft and warp threads of this Keshan are cotton. This versatile material is tear-resistant and elastic, which makes it ideal for a hard-wearing foundation weave.