Sofreh Bathiyari - Persia. Circa 1950. 123 X 120 Cm

As you already know, we admire—and, let’s admit it, are in love with—this vast family of everyday objects once used by nomadic peoples. These objects have deep meaning; they have a soul.
Here, we have a Sofreh. It’s a cult object with its zigzag patterns on the central field and its shapes that seem to dance and vibrate across the surface.
Sofrehs were used for preparing bread dough. No, you’re not dreaming!
With its weave and extremely tight structure, flour, salt, and water were placed directly on its surface before kneading the bread. The bread was then baked over a wood fire before being returned to this precious square for storage... Do you see the ties at each corner? Yes, they were used to close our multicolored bag. Ingenious, to say the least. The English would be more likely to say “brilliant!”
So much for the functional aspect. Sofrehs are also wonderful decorative objects, with a highly graphic aesthetic. One could even call them high-end design or quasi-pictorial works of art...
That’s the art of beautiful things, my good friend Ahmet, who lives in Ankara, would tell me—you can never tire of them... Their modernity, imbued with authenticity, transcends the ages, unshakable.
Masterfully hand-woven, wool upon wool.
Circa 1950
Dimensions: 123 x 120 cm

Laurent
Beauty of Sofreh