Bakhshaish
407 x 101 cm (13' 4" x 3' 4")
Persia, late 19th century
Condition: very good, good pile, partial corroded dark brown, minor small repairs
Warp: cotton, weft: cotton, pile: wool

The weaver of this rug has masterfully fulfilled the task: "Weave a runner with an all-over pattern that isn't boring." Against a rare white background, she has arranged small flowering trees in neat rows and depicted them in the widest possible variety of colors. She achieved a certain depth and layering by knotting three or four flowering trees in a row. However, the way she utilized the remaining space to the right and left of the row of three is simply delightful.
One can imagine her dreaming of a spring meadow on long winter evenings. She framed the blossoms, beginning with a dog in the lower right and concluding in the upper left with a person with raised hands. In the first third and up to the middle, she introduces us to her entire flock of chickens and several four-legged animals. In the upper half, additional people appear, perhaps her family: first two smaller figures, one of them leading an animal, and then four adults. Three of them appear to be wearing large wrap skirts, and the traditional costume in the top right is particularly striking.
Despite all the playful individuality of her knotwork, she is mindful of the Persian tradition, for she depicts the flowering trees just as they are known from 17th-century Persian silks. The nearly circular flower with two smaller leaves below is classic; but the small mound of earth, which was once depicted as little clouds, is particularly typical.
In the border, she has knotted an open, clear wave-like tendril with flowers that harmonize beautifully with the field in their warm red. This joyful rug would brighten up any hallway.