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The original carpet which inspired our design can be seen in the
Black Church in Brasov. It is believed to date from the
mid 17th century. The carpet scholar May Beattie has
proposed that the column rug designs are related to a rare group
of finely woven late 16th to early 17th century Ottoman court
prayer rugs. If this thesis is true, then this carpet is
an emblematic example of a commercially inspired production
derived from a more "artistically" inclined court production
that potentially surpasses its model in the simplification and
abstraction of the refined courtly motifs. We would not be
the first to propose this, in its prevalence and persistence
among surviving carpets, this particular design is notable.
Our thanks to carpet scholar Stefano Ionescu for the use of this
photograph, from his book "Antique Ottoman Rugs in Transylvania (www.transylvanianrugs.com). |
