Fine Exceptionally Large Rare Persian Kerman Ravar Carpet

The village of Ravar as an important centre of fine carpet weaving rose to prominence in the 1800’s when artisan crafts people fled the city of Kerman, which was under attack from feuding Khans. In the village of Ravar, the highly skilled carpet weavers developed their own style that incorporated voluminous floral patterns woven in an impressive array of varied colours, often inspired by formal, floral Persian 17th Classical styles of handmade carpet design.

Persian Kerman Ravar carpets can also include detailed pictorial scenes including human figures rendered in a style similar to the pictorial scenes produced in the important cities of Qum and Esfahan. Many early Persian Kerman Lavar rugs feature kaleidoscopic floral patterns and curvilinear layered vine scrolls, as seen in this exceptionally fine Persian Kerman Lavar carpet, decorated with a variety of jewel like and subdued complementary colours. In the 20th century, regional designs shifted to reflect a European composition, including saturated colours and a rich monochromatic field. Persian Ravar Kerman carpets feature supremely detailed patterns, innovative colours and discontinuous non defined borders with elements that often invade the field areas. The impeccable craftsmanship, tightly placed knots and exceptionally diverse range of colours set Persian Kerman ravar carpets apart from those created in Persia’s other great carpet-producing urban centres.

All natural dyes are paramount and applied to do justice to the consummate artistry of the highly skilled weavers. The predominant and characteristic colours include distinctive tones of Tyrian purple, saffron yellow, cochineal rose, claret madder, greens, and varying shades of indigo blue and ivory which are all present and superbly combined and juxtaposed in this magnificent Persian Lavar Kerman carpet. This Persian Ravar Kerman is a superlative example of the genre, with extremely fine drawing of the pattern details presenting a profusion of floral colour.

The sheer size of this carpet is rare for Ravar, and the style of the design and scale of the pattern details works brilliantly on a carpet of this size. The composition presents an ascending design which is symmetrical on the vertical axis. As is often the case with classical formal designs the pattern in the main field invisibly extends behind the borders to suggest eternal continuity, a decorative device often referred to as ‘infinite repeat’. The majestic, highly detailed composition is presented on this unusually large Persian Kerman Ravar carpet. The use of rich saffron yellow as a main border colour is a welcome addition. Yellow is rarely used in this way and superbly compliments the ivory background of the main field. This is a magnificent rare, large scale Persian  Kerman Ravar carpet and epitomises the very best of Persian Kerman Ravar carpet artistry.