Art Appreciation Silk Road The Art of Rug

Art Appreciation Silk Road “ The Art of Rug Making” April 2008

“The Art of Rug Making” • History of Rug Making • • Techniques and Construction • • • Where it all began Weaving process Looms Tools Knots Materials Used • • • Pile Fringe Dye

“The Art of Rug Making” • Persian Rug Design • • Geometric Curvilinear Pictorial Persian Rug Classifications • • Regions Tribal or City Quality Size

History of Rug Making • Nomadic tribesmen • First to create pile carpets thousands of years ago for warmth and comfort in their homes • Asia • First continent to produce rugs

Techniques and Construction The Long Weaving Process • Looms • Horizontal • Vertical • Tools • Knife • Comb-like instrument • Shears • Knots • Turkish (symmetrical) • Persian (asymmetrical)

Techniques and Construction The Loom • Horizontal loom • Vertical loom

Techniques and Construction The Loom

Techniques and Construction The Tools

Techniques and Construction The Tools

Techniques and Construction Turkish and Persian Knot

Materials for Rug Making • The Pile • Wool • Silk • The Foundation • Warp (length) • Weft (width) • The Fringe • The Dyes

Materials for Rug Making The Foundation

Materials for Rug Making

Persian Rug Design • Geometric • Repeated linear elements • Woven by nomadic tribes using traditional and cultural symbols • “Primal quality” • Curvilinear and Floral • Reflects nature • Pictorial • Rarest of rugs • Difficult to weave

Persian Rug Design Curvilinear and Pictorial

Persian Rug Design Parts of a Rug • Field • Background of the rug inside the borders • Main Border • Widest decorative design around the outside of the rug • Guard Borders • Narrow decorative designs flanking the main border

Persian Rug Design Parts of a Rug • Medallion • Round, oval, or polygonal design element that sometimes occupies the center of the field • Corner brackets • Designs which sometimes fill the corners of the field

Persian Rug Classifications • Regions • Every city, village, or tribe has their own design • Tribal or City • Quality • Refers to the knotting • Higher knot count, higher quality • Size