Turkish Art Deco Oushak Rug, Country of origin: Turkey, Circa Date: 1900 — With a delicate border, alternating red geometric designs with intricate geometric shapes outlined in red and resembling highly abstracted elibelinde, this very unusual rug possesses four decorative spandrels overlooking a solid grayish pink field. Many Turkish Oushak rugs contain appealing shades of reddish and cinnamon hues. These fine rugs possess an especially lustrous, soft quality which has enabled them to gain an international reputation. The Art Deco Movement attracted many artists at the turn of the Twentieth Century, gaining widespread popularity as the early decades of that century progressed. Numerous artists of the era adopted Art Deco motifs, styling traditional works in the newer fashion.
One can easily spend days and years looking at rugs and never see anything quite like this piece. The obvious art deco influence is indicative of a European consumer that wanted this carpet to be woven and nothing else. This costume order carpet makes use of color, design and negative space in such a unique and subtle way. Whoever drafted the design and carefully selected the colors was quite meticulous in his / her approach. Many of the design elements cant be seen right off the bat – it is like a present that just keeps on giving with every time someone looks at it. The tribal motifs combined with the more structured geometric designs as well as this unique choice of coloration, are as telling as they are intriguing. One can’t help but feel the zen-like energy that the artist who designed this carpet must have had.
