Carpet with Triple Lozenge-Medallion Design
This large carpet is representative of the Transcaucasian weaving tradition with its bold overall design, geometricized patterns, and contrasting rich color palette. Here, a series of three large lozenges form a triple medallion design in blue and yellow edges with white, red, and green on a bright blue ground that align with a prominent central axis in the center field. Geometriziced motifs and patterns echoing those found on tribal rugs of the region between Turkey and Iran decorate the field. The border on a yellowish tan ground is filled with reversed S-shaped motifs typically found on "Dragon carpets" of the region. These patterns are in blue, red, green, and violet, guard stripes in red and blue. These visually powerful designs are especially striking on a carpet of this large size. They were preferred by commercial workshops, where such carpets with a low knot-count were produced in large quantities for trade. Rugs from the broad Transcaucasian region are woven in diverse centers representing a multi-ethnic society in which Armenians, Turkic, Kurdish, Persianate, and other people lived alongside each other. While this diverse society may complicate the attribution to a particular workshop and its cultural identity, it may help to explain the development of a shared repertoire of rich and colorful designs often found in these Transcaucasian rugs. Although compositions often relate to traditions that developed in workshops in regions between Iran and Turkey, as well as tribal weaving traditions, such rugs bear distinctive features that stand out as artistic hallmarks of the vast and diverse Transcaucasian region.
Artwork Details
- Title: Carpet with Triple Lozenge-Medallion Design
- Date: late 19th century
- Geography: Attributed to Modern-day Azerbaijan, probably Kuba
- Medium: Wool (warp, weft and pile); symmetrically knotted pile
- Dimensions: H. 92 in. (233.7 cm)
W. 52 in. (132.1 cm) - Classification: Textiles-Rugs
- Credit Line: The James F. Ballard Collection, Gift of James F. Ballard, 1922
- Object Number: 22.100.4
- Curatorial Department: Islamic Art
More Artwork
A slider containing 4 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
19th century
early 19th century
late 19th century
late 19th century
Related Content
Publications
Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.
Free to download
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.