193 - Kazak Karatchof rug (warp, weft, and pile of wool), Southern Caucasus.

Kazak Karatchof rug (warp, weft, and pile of wool), Southern Caucasus. Circa 1880–1900 (Signs of wear, previous restorations, frayed, and likely reduced in size.) Length: 228 cm; Width: 172 cm The rug is adorned with a large red central octagon containing another polychrome octagon and framed by four small ivory medallions, all set against a sky-blue background with polychrome geometric motifs. A wide red border featuring a succession of small blue, green, and ivory squares with geometric patterns is framed by two counter-borders. The Caucasus, despite the diversity of its population, has always displayed a remarkable unity of style in its carpets. The colors are light and vivid, and the designs, bold and assertive, tend toward pure geometric forms. Behind this unity, we can discern two influences that were not merely cultural: that of Ottoman Turkey, which controlled the western and central parts, and that of Safavid Persia (1501–1722), which once ruled all of Azerbaijan. Thus, carpets from the Kazak region, in the central Caucasus, often feature motifs from ancient Turkish carpets, preserving their legacy—much as a language preserves certain stages of its history in remote regions.” Bibliographic reference: - Gilles, R., exhibition catalog “Le Tapis dans tous ses états,” Galerie Chevalier, Paris, 1995, p. 2. Expert: Alexandre CHEVALIER