Antique Timuri Baluch Main Carpet, Afghanistan, nineteenth century
A bold design of abstractly rendered palmettes and smaller floral elements sprawls dynamically across the deep blue field of this stunning antique Timuri Baluch carpet. Descended from East Persian carpets of the Safavid period, rugs of this type embody the capacity of tribal weavers to adapt sophisticated arabesque and floral patterns from Persian city rugs into a distinctive abstract idiom or artistic vision. The delicacy evident in the double vinescroll border and the detailed articulation of the palmettes of the field discloses an exceptional design sensibility, as does the spare yet effective use of white as an accent amidst the various shades of blue, red, and aubergine. Timuri main carpets of this kind are unlikely to postdate the mid nineteenth century, and given such age, this piece is all the more exceptional for its fine condition.
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