A Safavid Isfahan Carpet, Central Persia, mid 17th century

William A. Clark (1839-1925), New York and Montana;

Bequeathed to the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.;

Important Carpets from the William A. Clark Collection, Corcoran Gallery of Art, Sotheby's, New York, 5 June 2013, lot 11;

Where acquired by the present collector.

Washington, D.C., Corcoran Gallery of Art, Carpets for the Great Shah, 3 October 1948 - 16 November 1948;

Washington, D.C., Corcoran Gallery of Art, Masterpieces: European Arts from the Collection, 25 August 2007 - 15 April 2008.

The Corcoran Gallery of Art, Illustrated Handbook of The W. A. Clark Collection, The Corcoran Gallery of Art. Washington, D.C., 1928, p. 73;

"Carpets for the Great Shah: The Near-Eastern Carpets from the W. A. Clark Collection," The Corcoran Gallery of Art Bulletin, Washington, D.C., vol. II, no. 1, October 1948, p. 18, no. P 23, unillustrated.

As most red ground, spiral-vine carpets have a deep blue or blue-green border, the light blue border on this carpet is a striking and unusual feature. This lighter color in the border has the effect of leavening the tone of the colors overall, even though the deep rose field is that found on most Isfahan carpets. Here also, the two ivory cloud bands that punctuate the pair of bold palmettes at the center are not quite symmetrical. While a small detail, it is an element such as this that lends vitality to the otherwise carefully balanced design.