Origin: Caucasus
Date: Last quarter of the 19th century
Dimensions: 300 × 140 cm
Description:
This expressive Shirvan weaving features five stacked diamond-shaped medallions set along a midnight-blue field, their angular, flame-like extensions giving the design a striking sense of upward movement.
Across the field, two female figures—likely symbolic self-portraits of the weavers—appear among small creatures, abstract birds, blossoms, and lattice motifs. The large peacocks with sweeping tail feathers are a hallmark of Akstafa-influenced design, adding grandeur and narrative depth to the composition.
The shamdan, or torch, border stands out as one of the rug’s most elegant features: a sophisticated “wine-glass” motif rendered here on a luminous ground, glowing against the dark field. It is flanked by two red rosette stripes, while an inner reciprocal crenellated band provides a crisp architectural frame for the medallions.
A richly detailed and brilliantly coloured example of late-19th-century Shirvan craftsmanship, this rug unites medallion geometry, symbolic borders, and a beautifully animated field into a single, harmonious work.
Origin: Caucasus
Date: Last quarter of the 19th century
Dimensions: 300 × 140 cm
Description:
This expressive Shirvan weaving features five stacked diamond-shaped medallions set along a midnight-blue field, their angular, flame-like extensions giving the design a striking sense of upward movement.
Across the field, two female figures—likely symbolic self-portraits of the weavers—appear among small creatures, abstract birds, blossoms, and lattice motifs. The large peacocks with sweeping tail feathers are a hallmark of Akstafa-influenced design, adding grandeur and narrative depth to the composition.
The shamdan, or torch, border stands out as one of the rug’s most elegant features: a sophisticated “wine-glass” motif rendered here on a luminous ground, glowing against the dark field. It is flanked by two red rosette stripes, while an inner reciprocal crenellated band provides a crisp architectural frame for the medallions.
A richly detailed and brilliantly coloured example of late-19th-century Shirvan craftsmanship, this rug unites medallion geometry, symbolic borders, and a beautifully animated field into a single, harmonious work.
