11 x 16 - Ivory Antique Persian Bakshaish Rug - 78984

78984 Antique Persian Bakshaish Rug, 11'04 x 16'02.

The Eternal Garden: A Late 19th Century Persian Bakshaish Masterpiece of Grandeur

Dating to the Late 19th Century, this hand-knotted wool antique Persian Bakshaish rug is a remarkable expression of village artistry, created with the monumental scale and symbolic richness prized by serious collectors. Its exceptional composition centers upon a serrated pole medallion whose dramatic contours enclose a radiant sunburst, blooming palmettes, botehs, and abstract botanical forms. The sunburst evokes illumination and celestial energy, while the boteh—one of the most enduring emblems in Persian weaving—has long been associated with life, continuity, and generative force. Together, these iconic motifs give the stunning masterwork the presence of an ancestral talisman rendered on an architectural scale.

Across the expansive ivory field, stylized Trees of Life rise in rhythmic succession, transforming the surface into an imagined garden of paradise. Rooted in ancient visual traditions, the Tree of Life signifies immortality, spiritual ascent, and the eternal connection between earthly existence and the divine. Slender branches, angular leaves, floral emblems, and scattered botehs animate the surrounding space, while the midnight-blue spandrels echo this vocabulary at each end. Their repetition creates a ceremonial symmetry that draws the eye inward toward the commanding central axis.

Encircling the field is a broad Bakshaish-blue border populated by striking sunburst rosettes and geometric blossoms, framed by narrow meandering guard bands. These wheel-like flowers suggest radiance, regeneration, and the cyclical passage of time, establishing a stately enclosure around the inner garden. Saturated red, powder blue, coral, soft green, ochre, navy, and aged ivory reveal the expressive character of natural dyes, while subtle abrash records the hand of the weaver and the gradual progression of wool through the loom.

The scale, age, pictorial symbolism, and vigorous drawing give this extraordinary masterpiece an unmistakable collector's presence. Its irregularities are integral to its character: motifs shift, branches wander, and proportions change with the instinctive freedom that distinguishes village weaving from formal workshop production. Preserved from the 1870s, the Bakshaish rug offers far more than decorative impact; it carries the prestige of an heirloom whose Tree of Life imagery speaks to paradise, protection, and perpetuity. For a distinguished interior or curated collection, it stands as an exquisite work of art with history woven into every passage.

• Abrash.
• Hand knotted wool.
• Made in Iran.
• Measures: 11'04 x 16'02.
• Pile Height: 0.18 of an inch.
• Date: 1870's. Late 19th Century.