| Antique Bidjar Persian Wagireh Rug, first half of the nineteenth century - This magnificent and early Bijar Wagireh or sampler is a weaver's guide for the production of a large, room-size carpet. One quarter of the central stepped arabesque medallion appears at the lower left. The various sycamore, willow, and cypress trees that would fill the surrounding areas of the field appear across the rest of the sampler. In the upper left is a short section of the main turtle border standing, as it were, above two tree trunks.. The actual borders of the sampler present what would be the minor borders of the large carpet. On its own, the piece is more than a pattern anthology. In pictorial terms it looks like a great mountain covered with trees. The colors and wool quality are simply superb. This is a minor masterpiece among Bijar carpets. |
