Extremely Fine Persian Heriz Silk Pictorial Rug – Signed

Heriz rugs and carpets are highly distinctive, defined by their very unique and distinguishable style of designs. This includes the extraordinary contrast in the technical specifications as seen in their highly decorative wool pile rugs and carpets compared with their exceptionally fine decorative silk rugs and carpets made from the mid 19th Century.

Heriz is a city located in North West Persia, which is near the city of Tabriz. Tabriz is one of the most historically important rug weaving centres in Persia with a weaving tradition, certainly dating back to the early 16th Century. The close proximity of Tabriz to the Heriz weaving ‘area’ would be bound to influence the masterful and talented weavers of the Persian Heriz rugs and carpets, and this was certainly the case in the making of their exceptionally fine silk rugs.

Whereas older Persian Heriz decorative carpets are relatively plentiful, Persian Heriz silk rugs are considerably more rare. This fascinating Persian Heriz Pictorial rug contains Classical Persian mythological subject matter ( Good versus Evil ), which epitomises a distinctive style employed by the highly skilled Heriz weavers, and Ustaden. Although exceptionally finely knotted, it could be assumed that an extremely detailed pattern would be presented, as is normally the case in Persian urban produced rugs, with extreme accuracy to the drawing of the flora and fauna forms. However instead, a somewhat naïve and boldly drawn rendition is presented. Here we see a tree with thick branches acting as a relative safe haven for a male mortal. The supporting Simurgh, ( Persian mythical bird ), acts as a protector to this threatened individual. Evil is represented by the dragon headed serpent endeavouring to challenge the Simurgh, and the rather ‘simple’ looking, grinning Demonic figure who watches on in anticipation. The monkey is typically mischievous poking the male mortal with a stick, and the role of natural hunting with lion and donkey prey. The only time extreme detail is seen in the central field is in the defining outlines of the pattern elements seen in dark blue silk. In this Persian Heriz rug a limited colour palette is used, to great artistic effect with tones of rich copper red used as the primary background colour extending to lighter shades, acting as definition enhancement and shadowing.

The composition is enhanced by the shades of ivory extending from a light shade through to a mushroom shade creating a similar effect to the copper red arrangement. This limited range of colours presents a powerful easy to read image created with exceptional skill by the weavers. The blue border treatment on the other hand shows off the ability of the weavers to create finer beautifully drawn bird and flora forms still cleverly presented with the same colours as seen in the main field composition, maintaining continuity and creating a ‘focussing’ element to the overall design. The presence of a butterfly in each of the border corners is an extraordinary and highly individual addition, and somehow enhances the rather Sureal composition.

This exceptionally fine Persian Heriz silk rug epitomises the very best of Heriz silk craftsmanship and artistry with the presentation of a distinctive Heriz style of Mythical Pictorial subject matter.

Extremely Fine, Antique, Signed Persian Heriz Monkeys Lion and Man in Tree Rug. This piece was handwoven in Heriz , Iran. For further information please contact us and our team will be pleased to assist you. All pieces in the collection are under the auspices of Essie Sakhai, one of the world’s foremost experts and collectors of fine handmade Persian rugs and carpets.