Floral Arabesque Carpet
Unknown Artist
17th century
Medium
Cotton (warp and weft), wool (pile); asymmetrically knotted pile
Dimensions
Rug: L. 189 in. (480.1 cm) W. 82 1/2 in. (209.6 cm) Wt. 41lbs. (18.6 kg) with 6" tube Bottom: H. 187 in. (475 cm) W. 80 3/4 in. (205.1 cm)
Classification
Textiles-Rugs
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1969
Accession Number
69.244
Art Historical Context
Step into the opulent world of 17th-century Islamic art the *Floral Arabesque Carpet a masterful textile that exemplifies the exquisite craftsmanship of the era. Woven with cotton warp and weft and a lush wool pile using the asymmetrically knotted technique—characteristic of Persian rug-making—this rug features intricate, repeating floral arabesque patterns. These swirling motifs of vines, blossoms, and tendrils evoke the paradisiacal gardens celebrated in Islamic culture, symbolizing eternity and divine beauty without relying on human or animal figures, in keeping with aniconic traditions. M...