Circa 1900 Persian Tabriz Medallion Palace Rug

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Description

This magnificent circa 1900 Tabriz palace carpet represents an ambitious marriage of scale, symmetry, and extraordinarily detailed floral drawing. At … Read more This magnificent circa 1900 Tabriz palace carpet represents an ambitious marriage of scale, symmetry, and extraordinarily detailed floral drawing. At approximately 22 feet 6 inches long and 11 feet 9 inches wide, its imposing dimensions provide a vast canvas for a remarkably complex classical composition. Rather than relying on a small number of oversized motifs, the design fills virtually the entire surface with layers of botanical and arabesque ornament, creating a richly developed visual field that reveals progressively finer details when viewed at closer range.

At the center is a commanding lobed medallion composed of interwoven arabesques, floral scrolls, rosettes, palmettes, and curving vine work. Its dark blue framework provides a dramatic contrast to the surrounding golden field, while lighter blue, ivory, beige, and gold details soften the transition between the medallion and its surroundings. A series of larger palmettes and ornamental cartouches radiates outward from the central composition, integrating the medallion into the surrounding floral network rather than allowing it to appear as an isolated element.

The immense golden field is densely populated with an extraordinary variety of small-scale botanical motifs. Fine stems travel between delicate blossoms and rosettes, while scrolling vines connect larger palmettes and cloud-like arabesques. The composition has been carefully organized so that the tremendous quantity of ornament retains a clear sense of order and symmetry. Larger forms positioned along the central axis and toward the corners provide visual anchors among the finer floral tracery.

The border is itself a major decorative feature. Against a rich blue ground, a succession of substantial lobed cartouches alternates with smaller floral forms, each filled with its own miniature arrangement of arabesques and botanical ornament. Ivory and beige guard borders on either side carry additional continuous floral vines, creating several distinct layers between the golden center and the outermost edge.

Its colors are remarkably harmonious, combining warm golden yellow, saffron, ochre, camel, beige, ivory, cream, muted navy, deep blue, slate blue, pale blue, blue-gray, soft teal, and restrained brown accents. The abundance of blue against the gold ground creates a particularly elegant contrast, while the quieter ivory and beige passages lend softness to the elaborate drawing. The result is a grand, highly decorative Tabriz carpet with the scale and visual authority to define an entire formal room. See less