A near-black field carrying a dense scrolling arabesque hung with palmettes, curled leaves and small rosettes in gold, red, teal and cream, with a lobed medallion at the centre worked in gold and coral and pendants reaching to either end. A wide crimson main border of flowering vine frames it, backed by gold guard bands of small palmettes. Woven into the outer band at one end is a cartouche reading bāft-e Irān — Esfahān, Sirafian: woven in Iran, Isfahan, Sirafian.
Hand-knotted in wool at a very fine gauge. The near-black ground is what makes the palette work — gold on dark reads as illumination rather than as decoration, which is why this style of Isfahan is so often described as looking lit from within. The drawing is fully curvilinear, with the arabesque holding an unbroken line across the whole field. At 204×295cm this is a large room rug, big enough for a full seating group or a dining table with chairs pulled out. A dark ground is also practical, hiding everyday marks far better than a pale rug would.
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Type: Hand-knotted pile rug
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Material: 100% wool
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Workshop: Signed Sirafian, Isfahan
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Design: Medallion with all-over arabesque
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Size: 204×295cm (6'8"×9'8") — Medium
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Colour: Black and red, with gold and teal
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SKU: YASF 1028514
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One-of-a-kind: Yes