Persian Rug Isfahan 292 x 196 cm Wool Hand-knotted (Sold)

Isfahan Persian Rug

Material and Craftsmanship

This Isfahan Persian rug is hand-knotted. Its pile is made from 100% virgin wool, while the warp is made from 100% cotton. These two materials serve distinct functions in a knotted textile. The warp provides the underlying structure, and the pile is built into that structure knot by knot. In this rug, the visible pile is specified as entirely virgin wool, with cotton identified as the warp material.

The knot density is approximately 180,000-200,000 knots per square metre. Knot density indicates how many knots are placed within a defined area and provides a technical description of the fineness of the work. Hand-knotting is a sequential process in which each knot contributes to the developing surface. A comparatively fine knot structure allows a design with a central medallion and floral details to be drawn with controlled definition.

Virgin wool is traditionally used for rug pile because its fibres are suited to forming a resilient textile surface. Cotton is commonly used as a stable foundation for the warp. For this particular rug, the material information is precise: 100% virgin wool in the pile and 100% cotton in the warp. No other material is specified for this piece.

Origin and Tradition

The rug comes from Isfahan in Persia. Isfahan is one of the established centres of Persian carpet making and has a long association with artistic, architectural and textile culture. Located in central Iran, the city developed a distinctive approach to decorative composition and workshop production. Isfahan rugs are commonly associated with carefully controlled drawing, balanced layouts and a highly considered relationship between central motifs and borders.

The Isfahan weaving tradition developed in a setting where a rug could function as more than a utilitarian textile. It could also be treated as a designed field, with a centre, surrounding ornament and framing borders planned as one composition. Weavers translate such a plan into rows of coloured knots. The resulting image depends on the interaction of the material, the knot structure and the arrangement of the motifs.

Origin and pattern name should be read separately when identifying a rug. Here, both references point toward Isfahan: the origin is given as Isfahan, Persia, while the pattern is named Lachak-Toranj Isfahan Floral Medallion. The first identifies the regional source; the second describes the decorative arrangement. The rug therefore belongs to the tradition of hand-knotted Persian rugs from Isfahan, with a wool pile and cotton warp.

Isfahan rugs are often discussed in terms of precise ornament and an orderly division of the field. In the regional tradition, floral scrolls, palmettes, blossoms, leaves, medallions and articulated borders may be brought together into a unified design. The visual result comes from the relationship between the centre, the surrounding field and the framing zones. This compositional discipline is part of the broader craft context of Isfahan weaving.

Making such a rug by hand requires continual coordination of warp tension, knot placement and colour distribution. The design is built progressively rather than printed onto a finished surface. More intricate drawing calls for close attention to the underlying plan. The stated knot density records one aspect of this process; it does not replace the cultural and visual context of the Isfahan tradition. Place, technique, material and pattern together define the rug’s classification.

Design and Pattern

The pattern is identified as Lachak-Toranj Isfahan Floral Medallion. In Persian ornament, toranj refers to a medallion form used as a central organising element. Lachak describes the use of corner or spandrel elements that relate the centre to the rectangular field. The addition of Isfahan Floral Medallion places this arrangement within the floral design vocabulary associated with Isfahan.

A medallion gives the composition a centre from which the surrounding layout can be organised. Floral motifs support that structure through scrolling stems, blossoms and leaves. In Persian carpets, these forms are generally stylised rather than botanical illustrations. Repeated curves and linked motifs create rhythm across the field, connect separate areas and guide the eye between the central ornament and the surrounding decoration.

In a Lachak-Toranj composition, the medallion and the corners form important points of visual reference. The central form establishes the core of the design, while the corner elements adapt the composition to the rectangular format. Floral areas can fill the intervening ground and create continuity between the centre and the edges. The pattern name describes this design principle and does not supply colour information that is not stated for this rug.

Borders play a framing role in this type of composition. They separate the central field from the outer edge and provide a measured transition between the main pattern and the perimeter. A design may use more than one ornamental border, with each zone contributing to the overall hierarchy. Floral vocabulary can continue into these bands, allowing the border to remain connected to the medallion rather than appearing as an unrelated frame.

The Isfahan approach to design frequently relies on balance, repetition and a deliberate distribution of ornament. These principles help the central toranj remain legible while allowing floral details to develop around it. Knots are placed so that contours, stems and small decorative forms emerge directly from the woven surface. The name Lachak-Toranj Isfahan Floral Medallion summarises the combination of central medallion, corner elements and floral Isfahan design.

As a result, the rug represents a recognisable Persian compositional structure: a defined centre, related corner areas and floral ornament connecting the principal zones. Lachak-Toranj Isfahan Floral Medallion is the stated description of this rug’s pattern.

Special Features

The rug is described as being in good condition with minimal patina. It has been washed. These details record its stated condition and care status without adding claims about repairs, restoration or other forms of wear. The patina is expressly described as minimal.

This hand-knotted Isfahan Persian rug combines an approximate density of 180,000-200,000 knots per square metre with a pile of 100% virgin wool and a warp of 100% cotton. Its Lachak-Toranj Isfahan Floral Medallion pattern centres the design on floral ornament. The rug is marked as sold.

FAQ

Where does this rug come from?

This Persian rug comes from Isfahan in Persia. Isfahan is named as the origin and also appears in the pattern description. The origin identifies the rug as an Isfahan Persian rug, rather than merely describing a motif named after the city.

What materials are used in the rug?

The pile is made from 100% virgin wool. The warp is made from 100% cotton. These are the two materials explicitly identified for this rug. No additional material is specified.

What is the condition of the rug?

The rug is described as being in good condition with minimal patina. It has also been washed. No further statement is made about wear, repairs or restoration. The rug is marked as sold.