Antique Persian Bakhtiari Rug, 14'06 X 23'00

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79706 Antique Persian Bakhtiari Rug, 14'06 x 23'00.

The Sovereign Bloom: An Antique Persian Bakhtiari Masterpiece of Enduring Splendor

This … Read more 79706 Antique Persian Bakhtiari Rug, 14'06 x 23'00.

The Sovereign Bloom: An Antique Persian Bakhtiari Masterpiece of Enduring Splendor

This hand knotted wool antique Persian Bakhtiari rug from the early 20th century is a magnificent expression of the bold artistry associated with the Bakhtiari weaving tradition. A commanding central medallion presides over a sumptuous red field, while deep blue corner spandrels create an architectural counterpoint around the exceptional composition. Dense floral ornament fills the intervening space with striking vitality, giving the carpet the richness of a cultivated Persian landscape translated into wool. Monumental in scale and unmistakable in character, it carries the stature of a stunning masterwork selected for an interior of consequence.

At the center, a complex medallion unfolds through successive layers of lotus forms, rosettes, palmettes, and angular arabesques. The rosette, conceived as a fully opened rose, signifies beauty, romantic love, and earthly fulfillment, while the iconic lotus motif conveys purity, spiritual enlightenment, rebirth, and eternal renewal. Shah Abbasi palmettes draw upon the courtly floral vocabulary perfected during the Safavid era, where stylized lotus and lily forms became emblems of abundance and cosmic harmony. Their disciplined arrangement around the medallion establishes a symbolic universe governed by balance and continuity.

The surrounding crimson ground becomes a profusion of Persian flora. Peonies proclaim wealth, honor, nobility, and luxury; lilies evoke peace and spirituality; irises and tulips celebrate vitality and the arrival of spring after the severity of winter. Long serrated saz leaves sweep through the field with expressive movement, embodying growth and the perpetual cycle of nature. Interlocking arabesque vines bind these individual blossoms into an uninterrupted network, their continuous course representing eternity and the interconnectedness of life. Against the blue spandrels, the botanical imagery gains dramatic depth, intensifying the visual power of the central design.

A distinguished botanical border completes the carpet, populated with rhythmic blossoms and scrolling vegetation and flanked by floral meander guard borders. This succession of ornament creates a ceremonial enclosure for the medallion while reinforcing the themes of flourishing life carried throughout the field. With its imposing proportions, saturated palette, intricate symbolism, and unmistakable Bakhtiari geometry, this antique Persian carpet offers the discerning collector an extraordinary masterpiece of heritage—an exquisite work of art whose presence speaks of connoisseurship, legacy, and enduring grandeur.

Abrash.
Hand knotted wool.
Measures: 14'06 x 23'00.
Pile Height: 0.24 of an inch.
Date: 1900's. Early 20th Century. See less