200 - Ferrahan Rug (cotton warp and weft, wool pile), Central Persia.

Ferrahan Rug (cotton warp and weft, wool pile), Central Persia. Circa 1930–1970 (Signs of wear, traces of non-slip backing on the reverse, previous restorations, damage at one end, frayed.) Length: 500 cm; Width: 193 cm The rug is embellished with a scattering of stylized, polychrome palmette motifs on a navy blue background. Three borders in dusty pink and aqua green, featuring garlands of geometric flowers, frame the composition North of Sultanabad lies the densely populated region of Farahan, which comprises numerous villages whose primary livelihood is carpet weaving. These carpets are prized for their simplicity and the elegance of their designs, which most often consist of simple decorative elements. (…) The pile of antique Ferrahan or Farahan carpets is often corroded due to the use of a copper-based green dye. The decoration, which derives from the Persian tradition, consists of tiny motifs that repeat across the entire field. The most common motif is the Herati. Alongside the Herati, motifs such as the boteh, mina-khani, gol farangh, and mustefi are frequently featured. Many rugs also feature a medallion design. They reflect the decorative simplicity of the region’s rugs, and the medallion composition is rendered in a balanced manner. The field is generally decorated only in the corners or along the edges to highlight the medallions, which are executed with intricate floral motifs and often surrounded by a serrated border. Sometimes, the field is meticulously adorned with Herati motifs or rows of boteh. A series of barely sketched medallions, interrupted by the border, appear on certain designs above and below the central medallion, giving the impression that the weaver intended to depict only one of them in its entirety. The borders, particularly the central one, stand out due to their size and the refined decoration of their motifs. Expert: Alexandre CHEVALIER