Keshan | 418 x 330 cm | Nr. 9891

Floral Keshan, wine red with border and medallion

Origin	Persia
Dimensions	418 cm x 330 cm (= 13.79 m²)
Construction	hand-knotted
Material	Pile: wool Weft & Warp: cotton
knots per m²2	360.000
Pile height	6mm
Year of manufacture	1950
Colour	Wine red
Edition	one-of-a-kind piece

 

Origin

The central Persian city of Keshan (also written Kashan or Keschan) lies between the slopes of the Zagros mountains and the Persian deserts. 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 production of fabrics and rugs. 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 exceptionally soft wool, which makes it particularly dense and compact.

 

Pattern

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 edge of the rug is framed by a decorative border. The border forms a beautiful contrast with the centre.

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 background of this Keshan is wine red. The border is worked in dark blue and blue-grey. The dark blue centre combines blue-grey and beige.

 

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.