Fine Antique Indian Brown Handmade Wool Rug BB5723 11'8" × 17'1" $80,000

This circa-1920 antique Indian rug features an all-over design of a botanical landscape, full of tree abstractions and arabesques, against a field of rust. The faded, soft patina of the carpet is a staple of antique oriental rugs. The production of antique Indian rugs and carpets dates from the Mughal period of the late 1520s. Beginning with the conquest of Northern India by Babur, weaving workshops developed around the imperial cities of Agra, Fathpur and Lahore. Akbar the Great and his successors sponsored and encouraged the weaving of splendid Indian versions of classic Persian floral, garden and hunting north Indian rugs and carpets. As an eminent patron of the arts, Jahangir possessed a deep love for the beauty of nature, influencing the artists of his court. With a knotted pile of the softest pashmina wool, antique Indian carpets typically originated with weaving families.