Description of Design and History
The Farahan carpet is very finely woven from hard wool, is clipped very flat, and its restrained style of decoration is almost Gothic in character. The Saruq, on the other hand, is fine, is made from very much softer wools and is more densely woven. Projecting an exuberant lust for life, its style is almost ‘baroque’, especially those pieces woven for America. By promoting the Farahan region in the early 18 th century, Nadir Shah exerted an influence on its weaving products and on the export of these carpets which were prized even at this very early date.
This antique example rug is typical of its provenance, the majority of Saruq pieces having a blue and red colouring. The drawing too is uncommon for a conception of the field and border the rug surely ranks among the top pieces of its kind. The elongated medallion which dominates the light coloured field is composed of different palmette designs and is stiffly outlined in arabesques. The quartered designs in the corners echo the medallion. The light palmettes in the center of the medallion form a rosette whose rosewood hue is continually reintroduced throughout the carpet. The green outlines (a favourite shade from the best period of Saruq weaving) add to the artistic effect. The three-part floral border blends harmoniously into the overall composition.