Antique Donegal Irish Rug 1767

Donegal Rug, Ireland, Circa 1900 - The border, if one can describe as such, of this extraordinary antique Donegal carpet, consists of shamrock-like palmettes jutting in repetition into the space of the field. More an open work frame than a border, it defies and transcends the traditional notions of carpet design. The field, in contrast is simple, yielding pride of place to the frame, with only a simple pattern of staggered fleurons on a soft green ground. Just as the field is penetrated by the frame, the fame itself in penetrated by small insets at the outer edge. The soft golds and browns in the frame provide a gentle contrast to the green field within this remarkably constrained palette.