Antique Ukrainian Rug 318

Antique Ukrainian Rug, late nineteenth centuryA lion rests majestically on rustic terrain framed by a floral medallion at the center of this magnificent carpet. The medallion is set amidst an open field framed only at the upper and lower edges by thin garlands. While the design and coloration draw upon the grand repertoire of French Savonnerie carpets, the all-wool foundation and weave show that it was made in the Ukraine under the Czars as an imperial Russian counterpart to Savonnerie production. The proud, noble face of the lion is unusually expressive for pictorial rugs and textiles of this sort, perhaps adding a distinct Russian or Ukrainian touch.