TABRIZ HAJI JALILI
Late 19th century, Northwestern Persia (Azerbaijan), wool pile on cotton foundation, condition perfect.
The rich medallion on this large Tabriz carpet has the classical elongated shape accentuated by the two pendants that are clearly derived from 16th century Safavid rugs. Inside this medallion on a luminous, pale yellow background, scattered with different types of small flowers there are four large palmettes pointing in the cardinal directions that crown a smaller, internal star medallion which, in turn, encompasses the customary round rosette with a small yellow disc in the middle. The corners have stepped edges and almost touch in the middle of the shorter sides so they clearly highlight the central axis of the rug which is emphasized by the two pointed pendants. The field is a rare, pale and luminous shade of peach, and it is enlivened by many abrashes. The border is extraordinarily rich with ten smaller frames that flank the large yellow central band, decorated with a complex design of facing palmettes, so that it seems like a piece of lace. The empty field and the subdued decorations of this sumptuous carpet make it resemble the more geometric and austere look of Heriz, Serapi and Bakshayesh rugs that are made in the same geographical region and by the same culture even though they are obviously more closely linked to rustic or tribal stylistic feature. The beauty of this carpet, therefore, is in the fact that it presents a combination of the lavish ornamentation of Persian court art in general and of the textiles of the north western region in particular, with the simplicity and harmonious balance of the peasant and village rugs of that same area.