Antique Afshar Persian Rug 1668

Afshar, Persia, Late 19th Century - Two grand medallions spread majestically across the field of this unusual antique Afshar, recalling the power and boldness of Bakshaish carpets. Each of these is really a sequence of concentric medallions filled with a small scale Herati design on differently colored grounds. This Herati design recurs on the background of the field as well. The outermost soft blue ground of the medallions appears to interrupt the overall Herati pattern like a window looking into infinite sky. The carpet is framed by small, finely patterned multiple borders rather than one large one, providing a unifying texture or setting that allows the medallions to take pride of place.