Art Appreciation Silk Road “ The Art of Rug Making” April 2008

“The Art of Rug Making” History of Rug Making Where it all began Techniques and Construction Weaving process Looms Tools Knots Materials Used Pile Fringe Dye

“The Art of Rug Making” Persian Rug Design Persian Rug Classifications Geometric Curvilinear Pictorial Persian Rug Classifications Regions Tribal or City Quality Size

History of Rug Making Nomadic tribesmen Asia First to create pile carpets thousands of years ago for warmth and comfort in their homes Asia First continent to produce rugs

Techniques and Construction The Long Weaving Process Looms Horizontal Vertical Tools Knife Comb-like instrument Shears Knots Turkish (symmetrical) Persian (asymmetrical)

Techniques and Construction The Loom Horizontal loom Vertical loom

Techniques and Construction The Loom

Techniques and Construction The Tools

Techniques and Construction The Tools

Techniques and Construction Turkish and Persian Knot

Materials for Rug Making The Pile Wool Silk The Foundation Warp (length) Weft (width) The Fringe The Dyes

Materials for Rug Making The Foundation

Materials for Rug Making

Persian Rug Design Geometric Curvilinear and Floral Pictorial Repeated linear elements Woven by nomadic tribes using traditional and cultural symbols “Primal quality” Curvilinear and Floral Reflects nature Pictorial Rarest of rugs Difficult to weave

Persian Rug Design Curvilinear and Pictorial

Persian Rug Design Parts of a Rug Field Background of the rug inside the borders Main Border Widest decorative design around the outside of the rug Guard Borders Narrow decorative designs flanking the main border

Persian Rug Design Parts of a Rug Medallion Round, oval, or polygonal design element that sometimes occupies the center of the field Corner brackets Designs which sometimes fill the corners of the field

Persian Rug Classifications Regions Every city, village, or tribe has their own design Tribal or City Quality Refers to the knotting Higher knot count, higher quality Size