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Antique Agra Rug
About the Item
Agra - North India
This is a 120-year-old monumental Agra rug in excellent condition. This piece was inspired by the famous Persian rug, Ardabil, made in the 16th Century for the Persian court. The main field of the rug is woven in marsala. Sixteen pendants surround the central medallion and symbolise the sun’s fullness, radiating light over all the flowers across the carpet. Two lamps hanging from the central medallion’s axis illuminate this flower garden. The marsala field is covered in flowers and leaves intertwined in curvilinear patterns and spiral shapes. The artist created the floral patterns to produce a sense of time: some lotus flowers and Chinese peonies are still in blossom, while others are in full bloom. The flower design invades the border of the rug. These floral designs represent spring and all the allegories associated with rebirth and fertility. The lotus flowers along the border also symbolise rebirth, and the peonies symbolise power. Lastly, this Agra features the same inscription found in 16th-century Ardebil. The four-line inscription placed at one end of the rug is a poem by the famous Persian poet Hafiz. Below the poem, the rug is signed by its artist, Maqsoud Kachani, and is dated 946 (AD 1539-40). “I have no refuge in the world beyond your threshold. There is no protection for my head beyond this door. The work of court servant Maqsud of Kashan in the year 946.” This rug is a work of art with elements of Persian and Indian history, art and culture. The carpet is clean and ready for use.
Agra, famed for the Taj Mahal, has a rich carpet-making tradition. Agra ateliers have crafted exceptional antique carpets, which are celebrated for their artistry and finish. Unlike modern “Indian” rugs, antique and semi-antique Agra carpets are highly sought after and rank among the finest oriental carpets.
The pinnacle of 19th-century antique Indian carpets were crafted in Amritsar, north of Agra. These carpets are lauded for their extraordinary art, lustrous wool, artistic designs, and perfect colour combinations. Antique Amritsar rugs, especially those featuring well-defined, spaciously arranged “paradise” themes, are rarely found and highly prized for their grandeur and decorative impact.
Carpet weaving in Agra dates back to the Mughal Empire’s establishment in 1530. The Mughal emperors, profoundly influenced by Persian art and culture, aimed to emulate the Persian court’s beauty. The resulting “Mughal” carpets were creative masterpieces and precursors to today’s antique Agra carpets.
In 1584, the third Mughal emperor, Akbar the Great, established his capital in Agra, where his grandson, Shah Jahan, later built the Taj Mahal. Records from Akbar’s reign attest to the court’s patronage of antique carpet weaving, with Persian craftsmen invited to India to help establish the carpet industry.
Agra carpets blend the grandeur and beauty of renowned antique Persian court carpet designs with motifs symbolic of Indian culture. Persian spiral vine designs often combine with small animal figures, including birds, elephants, lions, or humans. A famous Agra carpet design for the Mughal emperors consisted of rows of flowers in pots, a design later adopted by the Persians.
Agra weavers, masters of vegetable dyeing, developed a unique colour palette, including soft blues, a profusion of gold, a range from rust red to pink, and a lavender shade not found in other carpets. These colours lend Agra carpets a light, ethereal appearance that leaves a lasting impression.
While 20th-century Agra carpets often lack the quality and inspiration of their predecessors, the finest 19th-century antique Agra carpets are universally admired by collectors and interior designers. Considered exceptional works of art, their delicate use of colours and design is unique among antique rugs. Undoubtedly, the cream of 19th-century Agra carpets will continue to be an excellent art investment.
- Dimensions:Width: 127.96 in (325 cm)Length: 179.53 in (456 cm)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:Circa 1900
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Barueri, SP, BR
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU9788239424352
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- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Barueri, SP, Brazil
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 7 days of delivery.
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