53994 Vintage Muted Turkish Oushak Rug, 07'10 x 10'06.
Like a half-faded dream cast in the whisper of dawn, this hand knotted wool vintage muted Turkish Oushak rug unfolds with a grace born of centuries and softened by time. The central medallion, shaped like a sacred blossom or a mirrored mountain, rises gently from the open field—a tranquil tan backdrop with delicate abrash that seems to carry the hush of Anatolian twilight. Anchored at either end by abstracted botanical flourishes, the grand medallion pulses with a quiet energy, recalling vines unfurling in spring or the symmetry of sacred geometry. Every thread speaks not of haste, but of harmony: a rhythm of birth, bloom, and balance.
The open field surrounding the medallion is a canvas of subtle texture and tranquility. Woven in tones of aged parchment, faded taupe, serene sage, and pale slate, it invites reflection and silence. Within this stillness, the corner spandrels emerge like gentle echoes of the center, their stepped edges mirroring the medallion’s form while sheltering soft floral and foliate motifs—silent guardians of the Oushak rug’s inner garden. These spandrels provide a sense of weight and proportion, creating a quiet frame through which the viewer is drawn into the heart of the piece.
At either end of the composition, rectangular endcaps are adorned with ancient Ram’s Horn motifs—timeless Anatolian symbols of strength, virility, and divine protection. Here, masculinity is not depicted with brashness but with rooted strength, a counterbalance to the nurturing motifs found elsewhere. Encircling the entirety of the Oushak rug is a fertility border rich in symbolic dialogue: interwoven Elibelinde motifs representing the mother, the woman with hands on hips, flank the angular horns of the Bereket symbol, a pairing that suggests sacred union, the life force, and the enduring promise of generation.
Two further bands lend depth and ritual to the rug’s perimeter. Closest to the field is a meandering wave motif—“running water”—symbolizing the ever-flowing essence of life and the continuity of generations. Beyond it lies the outer rosette guard band, a trail of stylized blossoms that ring the whole like a quiet benediction. Together, these elements offer more than mere decoration—they compose a visual prayer. This Oushak is not only a carpet, but a textile of memory and meaning, a relic of a people whose lives were threaded into the loom, and whose symbols still speak softly through wool, form, and faded light.
- Abrash. Antique Wash.
- Hand knotted wool.
- Made in Turkey.
- Measures: 07'10 x 10'06.
- Date: 1950's. Mid-20th Century.
