Anatolia, the western region of Turkey, has a long-standing rug-weaving tradition, dating at least as far back as the 13th Century. As the explorer Marco Polo once wrote, ‘Here they make the most beautiful silks and carpets, and in the most beautiful colours.’ It is these carpets, among the first to reach the European market in the Early Modern era, that can be spotted in many of the paintings of the Old Masters, including those of Holbein, Vermeer, and Reubens.

This charming example has a unique drawing compared to other Anatolian carpets of the period. The stamped pomegranate blossom design, derived from earlier Azerbaijani carpets of the 18th Century, is symbolic of prosperity, health, and fertility, with each motif in the field cleverly repeated in a range of different shapes and colour combinations, and framed by a simple border. Equally unusual is the rare muted pinky-red field, which serves to complement the various vegetable-dyed colours in the drawing.

This Anatolian carpet is in very good condition for everyday use, still retaining its outer borders on all four sides.

A charming example, to suit a wide variety of settings.