Isfahan Wool/Silk 289 × 216 cm

Carpet No.: 3042

Size: 289×216 cm

Knot density: between 360,000 and 850,000 knots per m²

Age: New 0-20 years

Composition: wool and silk

This rug is hand knotted and there may be slight differences in shape, thickness and pattern. This is especially true for nomadic rugs.

Workmanship: hand knotted

The city of Esfahan is located in the center of Iran and can be considered the heart of the country. About 450 km from Tehran and almost 1600 meters above sea level, it has a history of almost 5,000 years that tells us about the numerous ruling dynasties. The Achaemenids, the Seljuks, the Mongols and the Safavids fought and governed there, leaving evidence of their power and culture. Mosques, palaces and squares, gates and towers, profane and religious architectural monuments are cultural testimonies of the highest level. In the city's golden age, between the 16th and 17th centuries, under Shah Abbas the Great, it was considered a "paradise of culture and beauty" and a symbol of oriental artistic evolution. Textile production played a primary role especially in the production of carpets. The court manufacture produced very finely knotted carpets, up to 10,000 knots per m², also using gold and silver yarns, and supplied the Persian courts and princely homes. Isfahan carpets feature floral designs with arabesque vines together with birds, palmettes and rosettes depicted in a naturalistic way. In addition to the central medallion motif, carpets can also feature multiple medallions. Every detail is taken care of down to the smallest details. The warp and weft are generally made of silk, while the pile is made of kurk wool spun together with silk to give greater prominence to the designs; the shearing is medium-low. Isfahan carpets are among the best in Persia and are as decorative as they are durable due to the quality of the materials used. Often linked to the name Nain, it is followed by the name “La” which in Persian means layers, or the number of threads that make up a warp, used for knotting the carpet. The fewer “layers” and therefore “la” there are, the more valuable the carpet is, for example a Nain 4La will be finer than a Nain 6La or 9La. Often these carpets, being true works of art, are signed in the frame at the top by the master knotter who made them, among the most famous is the master Habibian, who became famous for the very high quality of his carpets especially suitable for an elite of connoisseurs. In recent years a production has also developed that has nothing to do with the Nain, the nain tabas belong to this category.