238 x 145 cm (7' 10" x 4' 9")
Persia, mid 20th century
Condition: very good, full pile, slight signs of use on the fringes
Signature: "Baft Iran Isfahan Seirafian"
Warp: silk, weft: silk, pile: wool
The famous Seirafian workshop was founded in 1940 and produced Persian carpets of outstanding quality. The founder, Haj Agha Reza Seirafian (1881-1974), was originally a banker but had previously gained experience in the production and trade of carpets. All seven of his sons produced carpets under their own names. Two of his daughters also devoted themselves to the business.
An exceptionally complex radiating medallion dominates the field, accompanied by two smaller medallions with a similar composition. Radiating from these, a white spiral scroll pattern covers the red field. In the finest Safavid tradition, another blue scroll pattern lies beneath it, lending the carpet remarkable depth. To the right and left of the medallion, the two patterns are connected by a palmette.
The white lance-shaped leaves at the forks of the white tendrils deserve special attention. They are characterized by a captivating, complex elegance. The white ground on which the imposing medallion rests is bordered by subtle corner spandrels that are delicately set apart from the white field, yet are themselves connected to the medallion by voluminous vase motifs.
The border echoes the motifs of the central field with exuberant opulence, with a particular emphasis here on the blue wave-like tendrils. A masterpiece of Persian weaving on a silk ground, for which only one word is truly needed: perfection.
Estimate: € 15000 - 20000