Scenes from Persian Romances in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris.

Scenes from Persian Romances in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris.

This exquisite 16th-century Persian carpet, housed in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris, is a masterpiece of storytelling and craftsmanship. Titled ‘Scenes from Persian Romances’ by art historian Arthur Upham Pope, it is believed to originate from Kerman, though its intricate design suggests the work of a master miniaturist.

The carpet’s rich imagery features hunters on horseback, a reclining man with seated women, and a central elephant, all set against a floral background. Among the fauna, a pair of phoenixes (simurghs) symbolize rebirth, while the border showcases medallions with seated figures and winged beings, adding to its mythical and romantic theme.

This remarkable piece is a woven narrative of Persian culture, poetry, and artistic brilliance, reflecting the golden age of Safavid textile art.

The Silk Medallion & Arabesque Carpet: at the Musée des Gobelins, Paris

The Silk Medallion & Arabesque Carpet: at the Musée des Gobelins, Paris

The Silk Medallion and Arabesque Carpet is a 16th-century Persian masterpiece from Kashan, currently housed in the Musée des Gobelins, Paris. Woven entirely from luxurious yellow silk, it boasts an exceptional knot density of 998,400 knots per square meter, showcasing the extraordinary craftsmanship of the Safavid era. The design features a central medallion with intricate arabesques and floral motifs, surrounded by a rich red field adorned with stylized clouds and flowers. Its three-band border, with varying widths, highlights delicate arabesques interwoven into a floral seed pattern.

This rug is part of an elite group of 16th-century silk carpets, considered among the finest ever created. A similar piece resides in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, reinforcing its historical and artistic significance. Persian silk carpets from Kashan were often crafted for royal courts, prized for their exquisite detail and luminous silk textures. Today, they remain highly sought-after as both artistic treasures and cultural heirlooms, embodying the grandeur of Persian textile heritage.

Silk Animal Carpet: A Timeless Masterpiece in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

A Masterpiece carpet in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

This stunning Persian carpet from Kashan, crafted in the late 16th century, showcases exquisite artistry and craftsmanship. Measuring 258 x 179 cm, it features a silk warp, weft, and pile with an impressive knot density of 921,600 knots per square meter.

The design elegantly combines motifs of animals and flowering shrubs, distinguished by its meticulous execution. Its intricate borders include floral patterns, cloud bands, and large palmettes surrounded by birds, possibly pheasants.

Previously part of Benjamin Altman’s collection, this rare masterpiece stands as a remarkable testament to Persian textile artistry, now preserved in one of the world’s most prestigious museums.

Hunting Carpet A Masterpiece in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Hunting Carpet: A Masterpiece in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

This exquisite 16th-century Persian hunting carpet is a masterpiece of craftsmanship, featuring intricate designs woven with yellow silk and silver threads. Measuring 480 x 255 cm, it boasts 187,200 Persian knots per square meter, showcasing exceptional detail. The carpet’s vibrant hunting scene and elegant motifs are comparable to a similar piece in Vienna.

Once owned by a Florentine noble and later acquired by Baron Adolphe de Rothschild, the carpet’s historical journey adds to its allure. It was famously featured in the 1926 publication Altorientalische Teppiche. Preserved in remarkable condition, this rare treasure continues to captivate art and textile enthusiasts at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

The Majestic Hunting Carpet of the Österreichisches Museum für angewandte Kunst, Vienna

The Majestic Hunting Carpet of the Österreichisches Museum

The Hunting Carpet, woven in the Imperial Factory of Central Persia in the 16th century, is a breathtaking example of Persian craftsmanship. Now housed in the Österreichisches Museum für angewandte Kunst (MAK) in Vienna, this luxurious silk carpet features an extraordinary 1,274,000 knots per square meter, making it one of the most finely woven carpets in history.

Its intricate design showcases a central star motif, surrounded by floral patterns, mythical creatures, and an elaborate hunting scene. Persian noblemen, armed with bows, lances, sabers, and clubs, pursue 157 wild animals, including lions, panthers, antelopes, and boars, all set against a rich salmon-colored background. The border features a frieze of flowers, birds, and human figures, symbolizing continuity and tradition.

Believed to be crafted during the reign of Shah Tahmasp I (1524–1576) and designed by Sultan Mohammed, the carpet was possibly taken as booty by Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I after the failed Siege of Vienna in 1683. Its exquisite craftsmanship and historical significance make it one of the world's most celebrated Persian carpets.

The National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. THE MEDALLION AND ANIMAL RUG

The National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. The Medallion and Animal Rug

Originating from North-West Persia in the mid-16th century, this exquisite Safavid-era carpet is a testament to Persian artistry. Measuring 427 x 229 cm, it features a high knot density of approximately 300,000 knots per square meter, woven with wool and cotton.

The design centers on a symmetrical medallion adorned with cloud bands, surrounded by intricate depictions of animals—some real, others mythical, like deer-dragon hybrids. Floral and arabesque motifs enrich the design, while the wide border frames the piece with elaborate patterns.

Renowned for its craftsmanship and detail, this carpet exemplifies the Safavid golden age, where rugs symbolized status and refinement. Now part of the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., it remains a stunning cultural artifact and a masterpiece of Persian textile artistry.

16th century Tabriz Carpet

16th Century Tabriz Carpet

This 16th-century Tabriz rug, part of the Iran Bastan Museum collection in Tehran, is a prime example of Persian craftsmanship. Measuring 228 x 193 cm, it is intricately woven with over a million knots per square meter, using yellow silk for the warp, raw silk for the weft, and pure silk for the pile. The design features graceful birds on a soft yellow field, with doe figures flanking the central medallion, creating a serene and balanced scene. Poetic verses adorn the main border, adding literary depth to the artwork. This masterpiece combines exceptional knotting, vibrant imagery, and cultural significance, making it a timeless symbol of Persian artistry.

Medallion and Animal Carpet

Medallion and Animal Carpet

The Medallion and Animal Carpet, a masterpiece from 16th-century Tabriz in Northwest Persia, reflects the Iranian concept of Paradise. Housed in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, this fragment features a lush garden landscape with blossoming trees, flowing streams, and diverse animals, symbolizing harmony and abundance. Made with Persian knots, yellow silk warp, silk weft, and a wool pile, it exemplifies the refined craftsmanship of the Safavid era. The other half of this rug is preserved in Cracow, Poland, while a larger, more intricate example exists in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. These rugs are cultural artifacts that celebrate Persian artistry and spiritual symbolism.

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MEDALLION AND ARABESQUE CARPET

Medallion and Arabesque Carpet

This Persian medallion carpet, attributed to Tabriz in the 17th century, is a masterpiece of craftsmanship housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Measuring 802 x 412 cm, it features a dense knotting of 620,000 knots per square meter, with a cotton warp, silk weft, and wool pile.

The central design showcases a circular medallion flanked by cartouches and arabesques, surrounded by slender, flower-adorned branches. Stylized red tulip-like flowers, "cloud-band" motifs (tchi), and vibrant peacocks add life and color to the field. The triple-bordered frame includes spiraling branches and stylized flowers, combining elegance and intricate detail.

A gift from the Kress Foundation, this carpet is a stunning example of Persian artistry, celebrated for its extraordinary beauty and technical mastery.

The Chelsea rug

The Chelsea Rug

This 16th-century Persian rug, housed in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, is a masterpiece of artistry and craftsmanship. Known as the "Chelsea Carpet," it features 738,700 Persian knots per square meter and a luxurious combination of silk and wool. Its intricate design includes medallions, blossoming trees, mythical creatures like phoenixes and dragons, and a serene central pool filled with fish. Sharing a stylistic connection with the famed Ardabil Carpet, it is considered one of the most beautiful rugs in the world, showcasing Persia's rich cultural legacy in carpet weaving.

Garden Carpet

“Garden” Carpet: A Masterpiece of Persian Artistry

The “Garden” carpet, originating from northwest Persia in the early 16th century, is the earliest known example of the garden design. Likely crafted in Heriz, it features a vibrant layout of canals with fish, ducks, medallions adorned with birds, deer, and blossoms, all framed by a floral border. Woven with wool, cotton, and silk, it boasts intricate craftsmanship with 307,200 knots per square meter. This historic masterpiece, once part of the Figdor Collection, now resides in the Österreichisches Museum für angewandte Kunst in Vienna.

The Pazyryk

The Pazyryk

In 1949, Russian archaeologist S. I. Rudenko unearthed a remarkable rug preserved by ice in a tumulus in the Altai Mountains of Central Asia. This extraordinary find, dating back to the Achaemenid period, is the only rug from this era to have survived to the present day.