CENTRAL PERSIA, 17TH CENTURY

Significantly, the present lot and the following two Isfahan carpets in the collection are with Portuguese royal or noble provenance. Jessica Hallett's article gives us a clearer understanding of the development of Isfahan carpet design over the 17th century, and bases her conclusions principally on Portuguese inventory records, which are supported by paintings (Jessica Hallett, 'From the Looms of Yazd and Isfahan', in Carpets and Textiles in the Iranian World, 1400-1700, Oxford and Genoa 2010, pp.90-123). Following Hallett’s proposed chronology, the Lafões provenance – the Dukedom was granted in 1718 by King João V to the illegitimate descendants of his father, King Pedro II – which may imply a late 17th or even early 18th century date of manufacture/importation. The documents also suggest that, large quantities of carpets were imported by the Portuguese from the central Persian carpet weaving centre of Yazd (J. Hallett, op.cit. pp.90-123).

The exuberant scrolling vine in our carpet relates to a variant group of 'Strapwork' design which is discussed in greater detail in relation to lot 178 in the present sale. More unusual still, are the petal-like spandrels, which one would expect to find reflected in a complete central medallion. Instead, the central element is a small lozenge with opposing palmettes at both sides and the field is comprised of large split-leaf arabesques. A closely related Isfahan carpet with a comparable field design of exuberant scrolling arabesques, with the same palmette and leaf vine border, is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, (acc. no.69.244).