Description:

A GREEN GROUND SILK & COTTON RUG, LATE SAFAVID OR EARLY ZAND, 17TH/18TH CENTURY
Iran, late 17th to early 18th century

Description:
Woven silk and cotton on green ground; a finely crafted square-format Persian rug featuring a large central medallion flanked by four lobed cartouches, enclosed within a richly detailed field densely populated with stylized felines, dragons, phoenixes, and floral motifs. The palette includes ochre, cream, burgundy, and black, harmoniously balanced against a deep green ground. The wide border showcases bold scrolling vines punctuated by medallions bearing confronting animals, possibly lions and peacocks, in classic Safavid style.

Dimensions: 190 x 195 cm

This highly decorative Safavid or early Zand-period rug exemplifies the artistic refinement and narrative richness associated with courtly textile production in Persia. The silk highlights lend a luxurious sheen, while the precision of the animal motifs and the lush border design underscore the weaver’s technical virtuosity. Likely produced in a major center such as Isfahan or Kerman, the square dimensions suggest a formal setting or courtly use. The condition shows expected age-related wear, with areas of pile loss and surface corrosion consistent with silk weaves of this age.

Comparable examples:
A Safavid silk and cotton rug with animal combat motifs sold at Sotheby’s, London, 25 April 2012, Lot 303, for £32,500.

A similar square-format Kerman rug, circa 1700, featuring a medallion and animal-filled field, achieved £28,750 at Bonhams, Islamic and Indian Art, 21 October 2020, Lot 45.

A late 17th-century Isfahan rug of related design is in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum (inv. no. T.90-1928).

Note:
Rugs of this complexity and color range were often commissioned by the elite and used in ceremonial or palace settings. The presence of fantastical beasts and celestial birds is emblematic of Safavid artistic cosmology, reflecting both Persian mythology and aesthetic sophistication.

 

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May 6, 2025 1:00 PM BST
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