Fine Persian Mahal Carpet

A Persian Mahal Carpet, Arak Area, Central Persia, Wool on Cotton Foundation,

Mid 20th Century

The ivory field with three columns of five bold stylised flora forms, supported by two columns of small florets within a pale blue border enclosing continuous flame palmettes alternating with flower head roundels linked by curvilinear hooked scrolling vines issuing flower heads ending in curled serrated leaves, reciprocal trefoil minor guard borders, plain ivory outer surround

Carpets classified as of Mahal origin are made in urban workshops in and around Arak in West Central Persia. Their carpets display distinctive and characteristic designs invariably based on 16th and 17th Century Classical Persian carpet designs. This Persian Mahal carpet demonstrates the adaptability of the extremely talented weavers, who in this instance have taken complex and highly detailed Classical 17th Century Persian floral motifs and stripped out the details of these traditional forms to the extremes of simplicity. A courageous intervention which has successfully created a powerful statement well suited to more contemporary styles of interior decoration. The pattern adheres to a 17th Century Classical feature, in that the design is symmetrical on both the horizontal and vertical axis. The power of the central field is tempered by the border treatment which whilst displaying a simplified Classical flower head and alternating palmette design, is drawn on a smaller scale to the field pattern elements, and then the main border framed by highly detailed floral and reciprocal trefoil guard borders. The finer drawing of the borders works superbly with the bold rendition in the central field acting as a complementary sympathetic frame. This variety of scales of the pattern drawing also demonstrates the skill and versatility of the Mahal weavers who can adapt to weaving bold simplistic forms as well as extremely fine detailing. The plain outer surround, in this case the same colour of the main field is a characteristic feature of Mahal tradition. The colours are from a characteristic Mahal area palette with tones of coral, tones of blue, aquamarine, green, ivory, all juxtaposed brilliantly to create a harmonic powerful image consistent with the best of Mahal ingenuity.

Fine Persian Mahal Carpet. This piece was handwoven in Mahal , 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.