Large Antique Indian Rug, Origin: India, Circa: 1900 – Stunning antique Agra rugs have a long and celebrated history. The city of Agra, renowned as the home of the illustrious Taj Mahal, is celebrated for its long history of classical carpet weaving. It is not surprising that this rug represents the most pronounced details of the Agra weaving tradition, featuring strong colors, bold lines and plenty of flowing forms to lead the eye as desired.
The powerful and striking use of color is the first thing that leaps up to greet the viewer’s attention. The colors chosen here are almost exclusively warm, with plenty of darker features that create points of necessary contrast between focal points and foreground elements. Dark pomegranate, pitch black, gentle beige and vibrant ocher tones all come together to define the palette. These earthy tones are noteworthy in the darkness of their presentation, which results in a strikingly warm and volcanic color palette, one that is almost reminiscent of a fading autumn.
A single dark border surrounds the heart of the Indian rug, and it is itself surrounded on both sides by two thinner borders, which act as the outlines to the larger shape. These smaller borders are also lighter in background color, which creates a richer display of contrast as the eye transitions from the light outermost edge to the darker center and then back again to the lighter tones past the middle of the borders. The elements within call even more autumnal imagery to mind, as dancing leaves sweep across the surface inside each border, connecting to one another through weaving stems and gently moving vines.
At the very heart of the antique rug, the dark red color stands strong at the background. Like natural foliage spread over a royal marble floor, the foreground is a beautiful collection of varying flowers, leaves and petals, all strewn in a strikingly symmetrical arrangement in order to better lead the viewer from one section of the landscape to the next. Several flowers and blossoms appear larger and more pronounced than the others, acting as focal anchors for the eyes to settle amidst the collection of natural elements. Gentle lines and weaving stems create a complicated latticework between the larger motifs, further solidifying the union between the background tones and the foreground ones.
Like any beautiful and classical rugs, this one is a marvel in terms of presentation, where details abound and present the viewer with countless pleasing shapes to observe. Because of the complicated and symmetrical arrangement, this striking rug is best set as a centerpiece in a room, especially if the area already features ornate furnishings and similarly themed decorations.