Indo-Persian Rug of the Ballard Collection. India 17th century.

INDO-PERSIAN RUG OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY.

[INDIA] NO.11

Sehna knot, 1OO-11O to the sq. in.: 10-11vert.; 1O hor, [6 ft. by 4 ft.]

Old rose is the uniform tone of the field of the rug, and upon it are palmettes, cloud bands, and small floral forms, interlaced by a running line scroll. In the very centre of the rug is a small irregular diamond form in white, from which project, to the right and left, palmettes in red, yellow, green, and blue, superimposed over cloud bands of orange, outlined in blue, brown, and red. On the long axis of the rug are cloud bands in white, outlined in green and yellow, and palmettes varying in design and color scheme. Four prominent palmettes in dark blue, red, and two tones of yellow, with touches of light blue and buff, are placed prominently in the four quarters of the rug. The general effect is that of an allover pattern, with the motifs regularly spaced in open arrangement.

The main border, the ground of which has disintegrated, is decorated with two interlaced running vine, flower, and leaf motifs, one in blue and one in yellow. The blue vine is broken at regular intervals by a blue leaf which alternates with a flower In rose-red and blue. The yellow vine supports a flower spray in rose, outlined in yellDw.

The inner border is a narrow stripe of blue, decorated ‘with simple geometric forms in yellow, outlined with orange. On the outer edge of this border is a narrow stripe with a regular pattern made up of yellow and white spots.

The outer border is decorated with detached circles, alternating blue and yellow, on a red ground. This border is flanked by narrow yellow stripes. This typical rug is illustrated in color as a frontispiece. Ballard Collection, No.2.

Exhibited: Carnegie Institute, Pittsburgh, 1923; The John Herron Art Institute, Indianapolis, 1924.

Source: Catalogue of oriental rugs in the collection of James Franklin Ballard. Indianapolis, Ind., Printed at the Hollenbeck Press, 1924.

Continuing