Serapi

415 x 318 cm (13' 7" x 10' 5")
Persia, ca. 1880
Condition: good, low pile but not worn, both ends slightly restored, scattered professional repairs
Warp: cotton, weft: cotton, pile: wool

A wonderful and bright top-quality decorative carpet. Among carpets from the Heriz region, the name "Serapi" is primarily synonymous with magnificent design and a soft, harmonious color palette. Whether these carpets actually originate from the small town of Sarab remains unclear. Please also see our notes on Cecil Edwards regarding the other Serapi in this auction.
The open field so characteristic of these carpets is particularly pronounced in our specimen. It is fascinating to observe how the density of the motifs decreases quite organically from the corners toward the center, gradually giving way to the light-colored ground. The designer deserves praise for this - the composition is magnificent.
The angular interpretation of well-known motifs is a hallmark of carpets from this region. In the corners, these forms are placed almost like individual quotations; the lines that originally connected them have been largely omitted. This, too, has a surprisingly modern effect.
In the field, more of these connecting lines have been retained, though some have been stretched excessively long and reduced to just a few strokes. This creates an almost abstract effect that is a far cry from the traditional image of a lavishly blooming Persian rug.
The border, on the other hand, is kept in a classic style and, like the medallion, is rendered in a slightly darker shade of red. It thus forms, as it were, a frame that holds together the modern, open composition of the interior. The medallion, too, reveals the designer's distinct creative vision in the various interpretations of one and the same motif.
A magnificent piece that impressively demonstrates just how modern the abstract design language of a 19th-century Serapi can appear.

Estimate: € 14000 - 20000