Persia, second half of the 19th century, very rare antique Tabriz or Sultanabad carpet with hunting and animal scenes.

Persia, second half of the 19th century, very rare antique Tabriz or Sultanabad carpet with hunting and animal scenes. In excellent condition, including the pile, this carpet has not been restored and does not require restoration. Patina, signs of age, oxidation, and changes in the obviously natural dyes are consistent with its antiquity. It is made in delicate pastel shades. It includes bands of flowers and leaves, among which lions, leopards, and wolves, splendidly and realistically rendered, can be glimpsed, some fighting with other carnivorous animals. Central medallion typical of its origin. Of imperial elegance but with still tribal features of ancient Safavid inspiration that circumscribe the likely realization to the 1800s. It presents stylistic details that are associated with Safavid and Mughal carpets. Wool pile, cotton weft and warp, rare and precious collector's item. It measures cm. 205 x 135. Medium-high knot density. Technical sheet of expert appraisal on the work: 1. Probable origin: Carpet from a small Persian urban manufactory in the Tabriz or Sultanabad (now Arak) area, in Persia (present-day Iran). 2. Period: The colors, dimensions (205 x 135 cm), quality and type of symbology, the technique of realization and the color scheme suggest a realization in the second half of the 19th century. 3. Decorative characteristics: The carpet boasts a central field with a medallion design and vertical symmetries, typical of Persian urban carpets. Lions, deer, birds, and other stylized animals are present: this is very typical of Tabriz or Ziegler Sultanabad "hunting with animals" carpets, often created for European export. The richness of symmetrical floral details, and the alternation of ochre, red and dark olive green backgrounds is a hallmark of fine productions, probably with a design inspired by Persian gardens (chahar bagh). 4. Symbology: We see the following figures represented: Lions: symbol of power, courage, authority. Deer or gazelles: symbol of grace, love, purity. Birds: spiritual messengers, symbol of freedom and connection with the divine. Flowers and arabesques: eternity and renewal, typical of the Sufi mystical language. Central medallion motif. It could represent protection or the eye that wards off evil. Hook and "branch" motifs: Hook-shaped or "S" shapes recurring along the edges or in the main field are interpreted as symbols of protection against the evil eye or symbols of fertility. Floral or stylized motifs: flower-shaped elements, even geometric, are often symbols of life, fertility, or wishes for family happiness. Multiple frames (edges): The presence of several borders with repeated designs, such as small diamonds or hooks. Each border often represents a circle of protection. 5. Colors: The intense red recalls vitality and protection. The blue is linked to spirituality. The beige or cream used as a contrast often represents purity. 4. Quality and knots: Symmetrical knots (turkbaft), typical of Tabriz. The dense design and symmetry suggest a manufacture from a small professional urban, non-tribal workshop. Conclusion: The work appears to be a Tabriz or Sultanabad from the second half of the nineteenth century made with European influences in animal and ornamental motifs. The fact that the carpet has a cotton warp and a wool pile places it firmly in the context of urban or semi-urban manufacture, and not of a completely tribal production, since: Tribes generally used wool on wool, because they had limited access to cotton. Cotton as a weft was more common in urban centers such as Tabriz, Heriz, Sultanabad, Kashan. The medallion and style The image of the medallion shows a very refined symmetry, with floral and zoomorphic details that recall the school of Tabriz, known for its precision in detail. Motifs inspired by Safavid carpets (16th-17th century), often reprises in the urban workshops of the late 19th century. The carpet presents fascinating chromatic irregularities determined by abrash from hand-spun wool with uneven natural bath, and variations due to the use of different color baths at different times, perhaps caused by: - Subsequent dyes made in small batches. - Exposure to light in some areas of the carpet or perhaps even an intentional stylistic choice, more typical of semi-nomadic weavers or small artisan workshops. - This particularity could actually suggest a production commissioned locally or by small workshops that are located between central-western Persia or even in eastern Anatolia or in any case a Caucasian border area of 19th century Persian influence.