Kashan Decorative Art

An extraordinary early 20th century Persian Mohtashem Kashan Silk rug. Measures: 3'4'' x 3'8'' The rarest group of Kashan carpets that utilizes non-traditional designs and color palettes is the “Motashem Kashan,” which was woven up to the end of the 19th century. This elite class of Kashan carpets uses a very luminous quality of lamb’s wool, which gives the surface a highly reflective quality. Quite hard-to-find, true Motashem Kashan rugs are extraordinarily finely knotted. They employ either a graceful teardrop medallion or intricately detailed all-over blossom and leaf patterns. Their preferred color palette is subtle pastel and earth tones, contrasted by a penetrating midnight indigo blue.  At the same time, these hues retain a remarkable luster, as the rich lanolin has risen to the surface of each fiber of wool. Also, early Motashem Kashan rugs often demonstrate a very sensitive and emotive use of intentional color shading, a technique known as abrash. In Mohtasham Kashan carpets...