Persian Rug Isfahan approx. 340x250cm Hand-knotted (Sold)

Isfahan Persian Rug

Material and Craftsmanship

This antique Persian rug from Isfahan has a pile of virgin wool. The wool forms the visible working surface of the rug and is the material that carries the pattern. Virgin wool is traditionally used in hand-knotted rugs for its resilient textile structure and tactile surface. The rug is also made with natural dyes. That detail belongs to its stated material and colour production and places the visible palette within a traditional Persian textile context.

The foundation is cotton. Hand-made yarn was worked on this cotton ground, so the construction combines a wool pile with a cotton foundation. These materials have distinct roles: the virgin wool is the pile, while cotton supports the underlying structure. The description does not treat them as interchangeable. Together they identify the textile composition of this individual rug.

The knotting is described as Azeri double knotting. At the time this rug was made, double knotting was not the uniform knotting method used today. A double-knot construction requires the knots to be integrated into the foundation in a controlled manner. The weaver must maintain the relationship between the foundation and the yarn throughout the work, while keeping the emerging design aligned.

Hand knotting builds a rug gradually, one knot at a time. The foundation holds the structure while the pile yarn creates the pattern and surface. The named Azeri double knotting is therefore a specific feature of the rug’s construction, not a description of its motif. Its hand-made yarn and cotton ground are part of the same stated technical profile. No construction detail beyond these documented characteristics is assigned to the piece.

Origin and Tradition

Isfahan is one of the historic centres of Persian carpet making. Its urban weaving tradition is associated with carefully organised designs, precise drawing and a close relationship between pattern planning and execution. An Isfahan carpet is understood not only through the city named as its origin, but also through the design culture that developed there. Workshop production brought together drawing, colour planning and the patient transformation of a design into a knotted textile.

Persian carpet design has always depended on the ability to translate an image into a repeatable knot structure. Curves, leaves, blossoms and medallions cannot simply be painted onto the finished surface. They must be planned so that the weaver can reproduce their outlines row by row. This relationship between design and technique is central to the tradition. The finished surface is a woven interpretation of a drawn composition, made through the accumulation of individual knots.

The Azeri double-knotting noted for this rug is part of its technical identity. It was not the uniform knotting method at the time. That distinction matters because it describes the way the rug was made rather than changing its stated place of origin. Isfahan remains the origin named for the rug, while Azeri double knotting identifies a particular construction approach. The two terms therefore provide different kinds of information.

Isfahan’s carpet tradition developed within the wider history of Persian urban arts. Central medallions, balanced layouts and floral ornament became important elements of a refined visual language. Designs were transmitted through workshop practice and adapted by individual makers. A familiar composition could therefore remain recognisable while receiving different treatment in line, scale, colour and knotting. Tradition in this context means continuity together with the practical decisions required by each weaving.

The use of natural dyes also belongs to the long history of Persian textile work. Natural colourants may be prepared from plant, mineral or other naturally occurring sources, with the final result depending on preparation, dyeing and the yarn itself. The source for this rug specifically identifies natural dyes, but does not assign individual colours or dye sources. The accurate description is therefore the broader one: its wool yarn was coloured with natural dyes.

Persian rugs are often discussed through several overlapping names. A place name may identify an origin, while a design name may refer to a medallion, a floral vocabulary or a particular arrangement. Keeping those roles separate is important. Here, Isfahan is the named source of the rug; Lachak-Toranj and Abbasi describe its design; and Azeri double knotting describes its technique. Each term contributes a different part of the rug’s identity.

Design and Pattern

The design is a Lachak-Toranj medallion with an Abbasi pattern. A toranj is a central medallion that gives the composition a focal point and a clear internal order. Lachak forms are associated with the corner relationship around a central arrangement, creating a visual connection between the middle of the field and its surrounding areas. In this rug, the pattern name identifies a medallion-based composition rather than a plain or randomly distributed layout.

Abbasi design belongs to the classical floral vocabulary of Persian carpets. It is characterised by stylised flowers, leaves and scrolling plant forms that can be arranged around a central structure. The forms are not intended as literal botanical studies. They are designed to function as ornaments within a balanced field, with lines and repeated elements guiding the eye across the surface.

The two pattern terms work together. Lachak-Toranj explains the organisation around the medallion, while Abbasi identifies the floral language used to enrich that organisation. The centre establishes order; the floral elements provide movement and continuity around it. This combination is a familiar way of joining geometry and organic ornament in Persian carpet design, while the actual appearance remains specific to the individual drawing and knotting.

Symmetry is an important principle in medallion compositions. Corresponding areas are balanced around a central axis so that the design remains coherent from one side to the other. Such balance does not require the pattern to be visually empty. Fine leaves, blossoms and connecting lines can fill the field while still following the overall structure. In a hand-knotted rug, the design is rendered through the steady placement of coloured knots rather than through printed or painted decoration.

Floral ornament in Persian weaving is highly adaptable. A vine can link separate motifs, a leaf can turn a line into a directional movement, and a flower can act as a small counterpoint to the central form. These elements are stylised to suit the geometry of the textile. The Abbasi vocabulary gives the design a classical floral character, while the Lachak-Toranj arrangement keeps the composition centred and legible.

Natural dyes are part of the rug’s stated production, but no particular hues are assigned here. It is therefore the combination of natural-dyed yarn, a central Lachak-Toranj medallion and Abbasi floral ornament that should define the design description. The pattern name should not be read as a separate place of manufacture. It identifies the visual tradition of the rug, while Isfahan identifies its named origin.

Special Features

The rug is antique and has patina on the pile. The patina is an observed characteristic of the surface and reflects the passage of time and use described for the rug. It has also been freshly washed and treated with moth protection. These details describe both its present care and the protective treatment applied to it.

The rug has no holes and no tears. This condition information stands alongside the stated pile patina: the surface shows antique character, while the listed forms of damage are absent. The description also identifies natural dyes, hand-made yarn on cotton, virgin wool and Azeri double knotting as features of this one-off rug. No additional condition or provenance claims are added.

FAQ

Where does this Persian rug come from?

The rug comes from Isfahan in Persia. Isfahan is the origin named for this piece. Lachak-Toranj and Abbasi refer to its design, not to an additional place of manufacture. Its construction is described as Azeri double knotting.

Which materials were used?

The pile is virgin wool and the rug uses natural dyes. Hand-made yarn was worked on a cotton foundation. These details identify the material of the visible pile as well as the underlying ground. They describe this hand-knotted rug specifically.

What is the condition of the rug?

The antique rug has been freshly washed and treated with moth protection. Its pile has patina. At the same time, it has no holes and no tears. The patina is described as an age-related surface characteristic, while the specifically named damage is absent.