Antique French Aubusson Rug BB4183

A modern second quarter 20th century French Aubusson rugs, the sage field with an overall architecturally-formed tile design formed of pale pink bands with rosettes at the intersections and containing flowerheads formed by curving leaves within a sage outer stripe.

Many weavers who settled in France were Huguenots who had fled Spain during the Inquisition in the early sixteenth century. By issuing the edict of Nantes, Henry IV granted all non-Catholics freedom of worship, thereby protecting the European carpet weavers in Aubusson. Aubusson carpet weavers became the finest craftsmen in the world. Louis XIV’s influential Prime Minister Colbert established the long and hard apprenticeship necessary to obtain the title “Master of Tapestry” .

A specialist rug dealer in oriental and western rugs and carpets, Doris Leslie Blau’s impressive collection of antique oriental rugs include rare Turkish, Persian and Indian masterpieces, many of which date back to the Medieval Age. Some of these rugs are so rare that no more than a few exist in the entire world.