Persian Tabriz Area Rugs Circa 1880 – Transitional Design – 67125

Imagine standing before a monumental, room-defining tapestry of woven art. This is an oversized Tabriz rug of such immense scale and breathtaking detail that it commands the entire space it occupies. The first impression is one of serene, understated grandeur and perfect, harmonious balance. Its transitional nature is expressed through a sophisticated, muted color palette that breathes modern elegance into a historically regal and complex design. The tactile sensation is one of extreme luxury; the wool pile is incredibly low and dense, feeling like sheared velvet under the hand, a direct result of a master-level weave with an exceptionally high knot count.
Turning your attention to the vast central field, which makes up a large portion of the rug’s surface, you see a tranquil sea of Dove Grey. This is not a flat grey; it is imbued with subtle, cool pale blue undertones that give it an atmospheric and calming quality. This serene ground is not empty but is entirely covered by an infinitely intricate network of gossamer-thin, scrolling vines known as arabesques. These vines, rendered in a slightly darker shade, weave and spiral in a graceful, endless dance, connecting countless tiny blossoms, stylized leaves, and floral sprigs. The pattern is so dense and fine that from a distance it creates a sublime, uniform texture, only revealing its staggering complexity upon closer inspection.
At the absolute center of this field, floating on the grey ground, is the rug’s commanding heart: a magnificent, multi-layered central medallion. Its ground color is a warm, luminous Champagne Beige. The medallion begins at its core with a tiny, perfect floral rosette, which then blossoms outwards through concentric rings of increasing complexity. It is shaped into a grand, sixteen-pointed star or rosette, with each point terminating in an ornate palmette. Every inch of the medallion’s surface is a world of its own, filled with delicate floral work. The forms are precisely outlined in Dark Taupe and Soft Grayish-Brown, and their petals and leaves are filled with the full, subtle palette of the rug: highlights of Creamy Ivory, notes of Muted Sage Green, whispers of Dusty Rose and Pale Terracotta, and the warmth of Medium Tan. Two ornate “pendants” extend from the top and bottom of the medallion along the central axis, further elongating its regal form.
In each of the four corners of the main field, large, architecturally-shaped spandrels create a frame for the central garden. Their ground color is the same Champagne Beige as the medallion, creating a powerful visual harmony. Each spandrel is essentially a perfect one-quarter rendering of the central medallion’s motifs. The same intricate vines and floral forms are woven here, using the same palette of accent colors, reinforcing the rug’s perfect bilateral symmetry and creating the sense of looking into an enclosed, heavenly courtyard.
Containing the entire composition is an elaborate and majestic border system, comprised of at least seven individual stripes. The outermost and innermost guard borders are simple, narrow bands that provide a clean edge. Between them lie several smaller stripes with repeating geometric or “running vine” patterns. The main border is a masterpiece in itself. It is a wide, authoritative band with a Champagne Beige ground, matching the medallion and spandrels. Upon it, a grand and continuous pattern of large, ornate palmettes and floral cartouches repeats with stately rhythm. These large forms, in shades of grey and cream, are connected by a robust, flowing vine outlined in Dark Taupe and filled with the same delicate floral accents as the rest of the rug. This border system acts as a rich, formal frame, perfectly balancing the immense detail of the central field.