Carpet

The elaborate floral design of this carpet is characteristic of Persian textiles attributed to the looms of Herat, the capital of the eastern Iranian region of Khurasa during the sixteenth century and today a city in Afghanistan. Persian artists transformed the lotus and peony blossoms of China into stylized ornaments known as pal­mettes, which they created in many varieties. Some are composite, incorporating two or even three motifs, often in the form of large leaves with serrated outlines enclosing either a peony palmette or a stylized pomegranate. Here, they form a symmetrical pattern made in thirteen colors over a burgundy red field sur­rounded by an arabesque and floral border. Herat carpets were prized in the West as early as the seventeenth century, as evidenced by their representation in paintings by celebrated artists, including Velázquez, Vermeer, and Van Dyck.

Source: Vignon, Charlotte. The Frick Collection Decorative Arts Handbook. New York: The Frick Collection/Scala, 2015.