Oriental carpet Agra (India) – 354

Oriental carpet Agra (India) – 354

Period: 19th century
Dimensions: 256 x 452 cm

SKU: 354 Categories: ,

Description

Oriental carpet Agra (India)

Period: 19th century
Dimensions: 256 x 452 cm

Mainly the preserve of the upper echelons of society, Indian carpets owe their development to the Mughal dynasty (1526-1858), who were prolific patrons of the arts and gave a powerful boost to the art of carpet-making, inspired by the magnificent Persian artefacts of the Safavid dynasty.
The production technique used in India was identical to its Persian counterpart: Indian carpet-makers used asymmetrical knots, the warp and weft were made of cotton, due to its abundance in India, and the pile was made of soft, polished wool. Some carpets were made of highly sought-after pashmina wool, from goats reared in Kashmir.
The nature-inspired decoration of Mughal carpets differed from that of Persian carpets because it dispensed with the rigid symmetry of the latter and because of its distinctive colour palette: Mughal carpet-makers made extensive use of lacquer red, blue and green, while the juxtaposition of different nuances yielded an exceptionally harmonious appearance.
The most outstanding carpets from the Mughal dynasty, mainly with floral decorative patterns, were made in the Punjabi capital, Lahore.
This imposing specimen of an Agra carpet, with an enclosed central area, is made in a typical lacquer red colour, symmetrically decorated with floral motifs, which are replicated in the outer border.