Bakshaish Carpet

North West Persia, 19th Century

86 X 137 cm

Carpets and rugs from the Bakshaish area of the Northwest Azerbaijan region of Persia are somewhat in a class by themselves. Often extremely abstract and with dramatic artistic expressiveness they clearly demonstrate a relationship between villages and tribes and rural and nomadic peoples and traditions. Designs are often unique and outside the traditional oriental carpet lexicon. Found in both small scale “seccade” throw sizes up to large oversized decorative dimensions they have an unmistakable artistic originality that exhibits a esoteric mystical quality.

The present “seccade” size small rug is made with a luxurious mix of sheep’s and camel’s wool that is often used in the making rugs in that area, clearly alluded to in the center motif of the rug.