Qashqa’i

Second half 19th century, 190 x 123 cm, South West Persia, Fars

Judging by its knotting structure, style of drawing and atmosphere, this gorgeous Qashqa’i was probably woven by the Rahimlu tribe. The ornamentation of the three narrow borders and the domino motifs seen in the pile-woven end finishes support this attribution. The white shield-shaped central field is densely covered in small flowering plants and notched at the sides. Two large triangles decorated in a design of minute diamonds protrude inwards at the approximate centre, effectively suggesting a division in two of the field. The same small-format diamond mosaic fills the red spandrels. – Good condition, the original selvedges survive.