Early 20th Century Antique Khotan Prayer Rug - 4′ × 5′6″

Description

Can't afford a genuine 17th century Transylvanian rug ?This close copy from Khotan in the early 20th century has all … more Can't afford a genuine 17th century Transylvanian rug ?This close copy from Khotan in the early 20th century has all the features of a classical rug:open,plain light red field;yellow spandrels with stiff navy arabesques and cloudband sections;yellow main border with palmettes and rosettes in two types of curved leaf brackets;dark blue rosette and compound leaf minors. The surface is smooth with asymmetric knots on a cotton foundation.In the originals,the knots are symmetric on a wool foundation.The drawing is very exact and laterally balanced,with each element mirrored across the rug.The design was carefully adapted from published illustrations of "Transylvanian" rugs from Oushak.The diagonal lazy lines of the original ones are not present here.The practice of lazy lines was not known in China. The plain light rust red of the prayer niche is unmarred by restorations.This rug was woven right side up,whereas the originals were made inverted.The condition is quite good and the selvages are totally intact and original.At three corners of the rug there are small,very well-executed reweaves.This piece has been cleaned professionally. less