Isfahan carpets, the art of a story

Isfahan carpets, the art of a story

The city of Isfahan is located in the province of the same name in the center of Iran with the Zagros Mountains on the left and the desert on the right. Isfahan was the capital of the country during the Safavid dynasty. Different cultures have settled in Isfahan over the centuries, and to this day, the cosmopolitan city is filled with intricate works of art, beautiful mosques, bridges, palaces, and world-famous architecture. Isfahan carpets are of excellent quality in terms of materials and workmanship. They are known worldwide among the finest Persian carpets. Soft kork wool and silk for details or base on a tightly woven pile are the main features of Isfahan carpets.

The designs are often inspired by traditional motifs, nature, poetry and great poets, as well as tiles from mosques or city and palace gardens. The famous mosque of Shah Lutf Allah is a particular muse for many of the carpets created in this great city. Isfahan carpets are high-class in terms of the composition of patterns, materials and designs. The most popular design of these specimens is a central medallion surrounded by vines or flowers. Other popular design elements and motifs include vases, gardens and trees of life, Shah Abbasi motifs, and pictorial pieces. Colors are generally light, especially light blue and beige. Contrasting shades for the designs on top of a light field give Isfahan carpets a beautiful look.

Many high-quality Isfahan carpets are made on silk bases, so they are extremely fine and valuable. Sizes vary, but most are medium to large. The density of Isfahan carpets is 120 knots per square meter, but it is usually higher than 200 if the carpet is knotted in cities rather than villages. Artifacts from cities such as Najafabad, Kashan (Keshan), Meimeh and Nain in Isfahan province are other valuable Persian specimens from this region.

Najafabads have the same design with central medallion as Isfahan rugs with high-quality knots. The dominant colors of Najafabad carpets are light red, beige and white.

Carpets Kashan are world famous for their high quality and special patterns. Due to silk production in this city, carpets are made from the finest silk. Kashan designs are mostly with medallions of different shapes and floral patterns. Colors such as light blue, shades of red and beige for the background and other contrasting colors for the patterns are used in the Kashans.

The designs of the carpets Meimeh are similar to Qashqai or other tribal rugs. The main color is usually a rich burgundy marked with many blues, greens and ivories. The quality is perhaps one of the highest among tribal rugs. Meimeh is knotted very densely and lasts a long time.

The most common pattern of carpets Nain is a central medallion along with arabesques and floral motifs. The most common colors in Nain carpets are cream, khaki, brown, dark red, navy blue, light blue and gray. Other colors such as copper, green and pink are considered as secondary colors for these carpets.