Antique Spanish Carpet 3431

Fragment of an antique Alcaraz carpet, Spain, 16th century - Though we can only see a portion of it, this lovely fragment of a classical Spanish Alcaraz carpet displays a lovely acanthus vinescroll pattern in a classicizing Renaissance style of the type that evolved in the period following the Reconquista under Ferdinand and Isabella. The geometric border, however, still harks back to the Moorish past in which carpet weaving originated in Spain. The sweet, gentle palette of sepia set against ivory accentuates the dignified classic reserve of the design.