A PETAG TABRIZ CARPET

It is perhaps a little surprising that such a delicate design of repeating decorative flower vases, should derive its name from Zill al-Sultan, the notorious Qajar prince who ruled Isfahan, Iran's former capital during the Safavid era, as governor from 1874 to 1907. He is remembered as a Qajar anti-hero, even a villain, to this day, based largely on his apparent exercise of absolute power and pursuit of intrigue to further his own political interests.

The addition of small birds flanking each of the repeating vases, seen here, was known as gol-i-bolbol, the 'rose and the nightingale' and was used in a number of different weaving centres. (P.R.Ford, Oriental Carpet Design, London, 1981, p.118-120, fig. 271). Unusually, the present carpet displays the same floral elements of the field design within the border surround, but on a larger scale, leaving little definition between the two in terms of colour or design.