Ancient Kirman, 316 X 432 Cm, Medallion With Radiant Rosette, Persia, Late 19th Century

Origin: Persia (Iran) Model: Ancient Kirman Material: Hand-knotted wool on fine cotton (thickness 8 mm) Dimensions: 316 cm x 432 cm
Used condition, it can hardly be otherwise, especially on large pieces like this which were the prerogatives of mundane and therefore passenger salons.
## Museum quality carpet, type of piece visible in the Tehran Carpet Museum and other international museums as well as in private collections (see last 2 photos).
Carpet has a beautiful rosette or medallion with a radiant rosette in a large composition incorporating arabesques of tendrils and floral cones.
Floral frieze border. In southeastern Iran, near a desert oasis Dasht-e-Lut, lies the city of Kerman, with a population of around 350,000. More than 1000 km from Tehran, Kerman was founded in the 4th century and was an essential meeting point for those who used the trade routes between Iran and India, the silk routes.
Over the centuries, different masters have reigned over the city: the Arabs, the Seljuks and the Mongols.
Until a few years ago, Kerman was a good starting point for those wishing to visit the ancient fortified city of Bam, 2,000 years old and located 200 km further south. Bam was once a major tourist destination in Iran, sadly destroyed by an earthquake on Christmas 2003 in which more than 10,000 people perished.
The city of Kerman still has a pleasant atmosphere today, thanks to its mosques, bazaar districts and teahouses.
Carpet knotting has long been an important craft and Kerman rugs are easy to recognize.
The main colors are often red and blue, the motif is often dominated by a central medallion with a large floral border.
Carpets knotted before the First World War generally have different motifs: trees, animals and figurative motifs.
The materials and the result were generally of very good quality. Although originating from the Iranian city of Kirman whose name these rugs bear, a large production region, no piece is more than one hundred and fifty years old today.
In fact, carpet weaving only started in this region around 1880.
## Despite this, the oldest dated piece found is from (1277) 1861, it is a 309 x 610 cm Kirman signed by the "Hossein Kermani" workshop present at the Tehran Carpet Museum. Our model, although showing a slight general wear, is nonetheless a sublime artifact of Persian culture of the 19th century, under the Kadjar dynasty.
## The Kadjar dynasty or Kadjars: ( Qājār, Qadjar, Qajar, Persian: قاجار ) is a Turkmen dynasty which reigned over Iran from 1786 to 1925.
The Kirman is often decorated with flowers and most of the time has a medallion that stands out against a plain background.
The Kirmans are often inspired by the floral models of the shawls which were very fashionable at the time.
The reputation of later American Kirman, raver and Kirman rugs is due to the excellence of the "Ostads", those incredibly skilled cartoon designers who have kept the sense of tradition of these great Persian rugs from the XVI and XVII century.
The deep harmony of the colors results from a perfect dosage which testifies to the great creativity of the Kirman craftsmen.
The finest carpets are the most admirable and the most beautiful, the greater the number of knots, the finer the carpet, and sought after by amateurs and collectors.
## Some Kirman are referred to as Laver, alteration of Raver, a town near Kirman where the carpets are knotted in a very neat way. The old Laver are characterized by a large polylobed medallion, roughly oval or rhomboidal on an ivory background, decorations of plants and flowers covering the carpet, or a decoration of vases placed in tiers, a decoration found on the Kashmar. These two types of rugs are extremely rare today and have a chromatic delicacy particular to ancient Kirmans.
This category of carpets rightly counts among the best production of Iran. Fineness of execution, delicacy of the colors, quality of the materials used make it a rare collector's item. This piece is in very good condition for its age, without restoration.
In summary, this rug is an accurate example of the Kirman type, rich in color and in good collectible condition.
This rug has been professionally cleaned and environmentally friendly.
Dimensions: Width: 316 cm (140") x Length: 432 cm (170")
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