Among the finest handmade carpets ever made, Isfahan rugs are the pinnacle of the Persian carpet. In an enchanted city, renowned for its taste and finesse, these carpets are of great delicacy and utmost intricacy. The city of Isfahan holds pride of place in the Persian rug industry because of its rich history and reputation dating back to the 16th century. Most Isfahan carpets are finely detailed in wool and silk, often on a base of pure silk. Until the middle of the 20th century colors were mostly stronger, like bold reds and blues on the ubiquitous beige. But later comes the visible influence of the international Designer, with more subdued ranges of subtler colors. Still, at the sight of curvilinear vines snaking over an elegant field around an exquisite medallion, especially if the long fringes glisten silkily from magnificent borders, the word 'Isfahan' tends to spring to one's lips. Patterns include pictorial and tree-of-life schemes, as well as the Shah Abbas field with its floral vines.
Besides the legendary cities of central Iran, such as Tehran, Isfahan, Kashan, Yazd, and Kerman, there are many smaller towns scattered throughout this area that also weave carpets of very high quality. Some of these small towns near Tehran are Veramin, Tafresh, Boroujerd, Khomaine and Taleghan, and, near Isfahan, are Najafabad, Josheghan, and the village of Maymeh. There are also a few near Kashan that produce fine rugs, such as Yazd and Ardekan. Kashan and Isfahan, being among the pioneers from the 16th century, have had enormous influence on their surroundings. Najafabad produces the designs of Isfahan, and Yazd and Ardekan the famous designs of Kashan, almost indistinguishably. An expert weaver in one of these cities will work non-stop on a carpet for many years. The famous asymmetrical Persian knot is generally the one used. The materials can be all wool, all silk or a mixture of the two. The foundation is usually cotton, except in very fine pieces, where it can be pure silk. Although rugs produced in the major cities of this region are technically superior to the ones produced on the outskirts, these pieces from the smaller towns of central Iran are still among the best. Many carpets from this area have been known to last several hundreds of years. |
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