Antique Rugs > Antique Rugs > Turkish Rugs > Oushak Rugs > FIELD OF DREAMS: SULTANABAD, TABRIZ, OUSHAK

FIELD OF DREAMS: SULTANABAD, TABRIZ, OUSHAK

It can sometimes be difficult to truly see and understand a carpet from a photograph or a computer screen. Because of the scale, it is especially difficult to appreciate the incredible drawing and details involved in antique carpet design. The field of a carpet is the inner rectangle of design and decoration, and frequently contains the bulk of the carpet’s imagery. Here we have pulled close-ups of carpets in our collection, in order to highlight the incredible design and work involved in specific types of carpets.

The rugs of Sultanabad are more coarsely woven than those from neighboring Sarouk, but tend to have similar designs. With bold, allover patterns and softer palettes than their vibrant Persian counterparts, antique Persian Sultanabad rugs and carpets attracted an immediate following leading to a demand for oriental carpets from the Sultanabad district. Subsequently, until the early twentieth century a large number of oriental rugs were exported from Persia to both Europe and America. Stylistically, this group of Persian antique rug weavings is still regarded as the most appealing to European and American taste.

Designs of antique Persian Tabriz carpets feature medallions, hunting scenes, flowers, and gardens; along with prayer and pictorial rugs interpreted in a curvilinear manner. A refined palette reliant on copper tones, terracotta and ivory, with shades of blue and subtle touches of gold, green and salmon are prevalent in antique Persian Tabriz rugs. Some extremely luxurious antique Tabriz rugs and carpets were woven in silk.

Characteristics of antique Oushak rugs are: relatively loose knots giving a supple hand; a fairly long pile; colors that have oxidized into a riotous sorbet of summer fruit such as melon, tangerine, passion fruit, mango, orange, lemon and lime green. The monumental scale, relaxed structure and playful palette of the antique Turkish Oushak carpet ensure that it remains a favorite within the pantheon of decorative antique oriental rugs.

We encourage you to browse through our website and to utilize the photographs on the right hand side of the page, which show details provide the ability to zoom. The magic of many carpets is in the small details and subtle color variations that simply cannot be seen or appreciated in a thumbnail photograph on a website. Keep watch for our next post- which will highlight the field designs of three more carpet types.