A Northwest Persian gallery carpet, early 19th century

The design of this gallery carpet derives from classical carpets of the seventeenth century. The arrangement here is closely related to a Kirman ‘vase’ rug in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (acc. no.1970.302.2), woven with a directional design of flowering shrubs around a central stepped medallion. The strapwork border enclosing trefoil motifs similarly takes inspiration from its Kirman forebears (see Concaro and Levi 1999, no.53, p.68). A closely related carpet with a single medallion and spandrels was sold at Sotheby’s, New York, 10 April 2002, lot 186.