This exhibition, “The Wealth of Kings:
Masterpiece Persian Carpets” focuses attention on
a number of early carpets made during the golden age of
Persian Carpet production, circa 1450-1650. Scanning through
these photographs one cannot help but marvel at the beautiful
designs, splendid colors and be impressed by the great artistic
and technical achievement these weavings represent.
Though many of them have suffered the ravages
of time, particularly from use as ordinary floor carpets,
they still convey the magnificent opulence that characterized
the lifestyles of the kings and khans they once served.
Many are now fragmentary, having been cut down to remove
worn or damaged areas, or to reduce their great proportions
into more manageable sizes. Others are even smaller pieces
saved from carpet dealer scrap heaps by knowledgeable and
observant repairers and collectors.
Examples like these almost never come onto
the market. They are truly rare avis and the only place
to find them in the collections of some of the world’s
greatest art museums.
While there is no shortage of books and articles
dealing with these carpets we hope this presentation will
enable our readers to begin to understand them from both
the historic and cultural framework they evolved in, as
well as how they relate to each other individually and as
groups.
The author and curator of this exhibition,
John Taylor, was born in London in 1950 and has been involved
with carpets since 1973. He currently resides in Germany.
Jack Cassin
Founder/director
Weaving Art Museum
