Description

This antique silk Tabriz prayer rug dates to the last quarter of the 19th century.

Like another silk Tabriz prayer rug on this website (see https://www.christopherleggeorientalcarpets.com/products/view/antique-tabriz-silk-prayer-rug/), it follows the same classic format of a plain space pointing upwards into a mihrab, or prayer arch. The arch of this  almost completely empty space is carried by, in this case, two narrow columns, which separate the main space from two very narrow and smaller secondary spaces echoing the main body of the field on either side of the centre. The only ornament decorating the field is a downward facing, fan shaped flower head emanating from a cup shape (a vase?) turned upside down. Two sprigs of white flowers face upwards into the mihrab.  This arrangement is very unusual and would suggest that the weaver copied another prayer rug from memory and in the process of memorizing omitted the fact that these ornaments were traditionally lamps connected to the apex of the mihrab.

The colour scheme is very similar to the prayer rug mentioned above, with slightly less of the darker maroon and more of the lighter orange as a colour to complement the very pale palette.

The silk pile is woven on an all-silk foundation and is slightly worn in some places. Overall the rug is still in good condition.

£2,950