Lot: 218
Palace sized Ushak
1140 x 647 cm (37' 5" x 21' 3")
Turkey, second half 19th century or before
Condition: good according to age, both ends incomplete, low pile in places, partially corroded dark brown, several old repairs, a cut-out window (ca. 20 x 20 cm) at upper left side, scattered small holes and tears
Warp: wool, weft: wool, pile: wool
An impressive carpet of unusual size, which clearly demonstrates the long tradition of these magnificent pieces.
Large-format medallion Ushak carpets were designed by court artists under Sultan Mehmed II (14321481) during the golden age of the Ottoman Empire and experienced continuous design evolution over the next 400 years. Throughout this period, the basic principle of a red or blue background with a central medallion remained unchanged. In the corners, we find quartered medallions, and additional medallions extend into the top and bottom, suggesting an infinite repeat pattern.
In the original designs by the court artists and the resulting carpets, the field was covered with a system of either red or blue floral vines. In later or less refined examples, this pattern often became an illegible tangle. In our piece, however, a clear and elegant solution was found with rows of cross motifs. Only upon closer inspection does one realize that there are two different forms: simple crosses alternate with crosses featuring end bars. In the blue medallions, cube shapes are placed over the crosses, elegantly creating a connection between the field and the central motif.
Particular attention should be paid to the complex floral motifs within the medallions. These not only dramatically enliven the relationship with the elegantly restrained field but also cleverly reference another Western Anatolian carpet tradition. These carpets were named after the ancient port city of Smyrna, now Izmir. They have been produced since the 17th century and can be seen in Dutch paintings from the second half of that century. Onno Ydema has identified no fewer than 30 such carpets in paintings in his book "Carpets in Netherlandish Paintings." Instead of a main border, we find a system of no fewer than ten secondary borders, which, in their small scale, offer an excellent contrast to the spacious central field.
Schätzpreis: € 20000 - 30000
10 000 €