Persian carpet-making reached the pinnacle of its fame during the Safavid Dynasty from 1588 to 1629
Originally estimated at arouond £750 value, the 17th Century Kirman Vase Rug pictured above eventually sold for $9.6 million at a Christie’s auction. This rug is the first known to feature the popular herati design, decorated with colourful flowers, leaves, and branches on a contrasting blue background. Its unique history and exceptional craftsmanship attracted numerous bidders and ultimately fetched a record-breaking price.
Most of the 16th-century Safavid niche carpets that survive today are the results of royal gifts preserved unused in the Ottoman Royal Treasuries until the siege of Istanbul during the Turco-Russian wars three hundred years later.
During the Safavid dynasty in the 16th & 17th centuries, rulers and wealthy merchants brought together skilled artisan master weavers, designers and dyers to these city workshops—fostering design and technique innovation.
Urban workshops in cities like Isfahan, Tabriz, and Kashan, with more sophisticated looms began crafting the most exquisite rugs ever seen using fine materials, including silk, with elaborate designs featuring floral motifs, medallions, hunting and detailed pictorial scenes, mirroring the artistic and cultural influences of the time.
A late 16th-17th century Safavid rug sold by Sothebys for $4.34 million!
Considered the golden age of Persian art, with royal patronage playing a vital role in elevating rug making to an elegant art form. City workshops located in Isfahan, Tabriz, Kashan, Kerman, Sarouk, Bijar, Mashad, Nain, Qum and Kashgai became renowned for their elaborate designs, often featuring floral motifs, medallions, and detailed pictorial scenes.
Finer materials, such as silk and high-quality wool, coupled with new dyeing techniques, used by city rug workshops allowed for a wider range of colors and subtle shades, producing rugs of remarkable beauty and intricacy like the Safavid rug pictured right.
These workshops operated with a higher degree of organization and employed larger, more sophisticated looms, fostering a significant innovation in design, materials, colour, and technique, and resulting in some of the most exquisite rugs ever produced.
Safavid rugs became status symbols and were sought after by the aristocracy
Pictured above: Previously owned by industrialist and senator William A. Clark, the most expensive rug ever sold is the Clark Sickle-Leaf Carpet, a 17th-century Persian masterpiece measuring 8’9″ x 6’5″. Initially estimated at around $10 million, it fetched a staggering $33.7 million at a Sotheby’s auction in 2013.
Safavid rugs were not only items of domestic use, but also became symbols of status and were sought after by the aristocracy and wealthy merchants. They were also significant commodities in international trade, with many being exported to Europe and other parts of the world, thereby influencing artistic tastes and decorative arts far beyond Persia’s borders.
By the 20th century, the Persian rug industry faced new changes with the advent of synthetic dyes and commercial production methods. These changes brought about a shift in the color palette and designs of the rugs. However, there was also a revival of traditional methods, as connoisseurs began to value the authenticity of natural dyes and hand-spun wool.
Throughout these changes, from the earliest nomadic looms to the sophisticated city workshops, Persian rugs have remained a symbol of cultural identity and artistic heritage. Whether a simple tribal design or an elaborate city-made carpet, each rug tells a story of its own, a woven narrative of the people and their evolving way of life.
The legacy of city workshop rug-making continues to this day, with many of the techniques and styles developed during this period still being used. Safavid rugs serve as a testament to Persia’s rich artistic history and its enduring influence on the world of art and design.
The rise of city workshops marked a significant evolution in the art of carpet weaving, as distinct from tribal rug making traditions. As nomadic tribes began to settle in towns and villages, rug-making tools transitioned from portable horizontal looms, to much larger, sophisticated, static vertical looms found in city-workshops, allowing the creation of larger rugs.
The stationary nature of looms, situated in permanent workshops, symbolises the transition from a nomadic to the sedentary lifestyle in rug making. The size and complexity of these city-made rugs reflect the sophistication and artistic capabilities developed in these urban centers.
In contrast to tribal rugs that were deeply rooted in the nomadic cultures, city workshops began to create, not just larger, but more complex and intricate rug designs, executed with superior technical precision. This variability adds to the uniqueness and charm of Persian rugs, each piece telling its own story.
How The Transition from Nomadic Tribal Rugs to Urban Workshop Creations Has Impacted The Persian Rug Industry
When trade routes from Europe to the Middle East opened up in the 1500s, and Persia (now Iran) began trading with the British, French, Dutch and Portuguese traders, Persian Rugs became popular floor and wall coverings with the European elite classes.
And so began the west’s obsession with Persian and oriental rugs from the east and seen as works of art and status symbols by connoisseur art collectors. The most beautiful Persian carpets became highly sought after as an investment—much like fine wines, artefacts and art by the masters—and not just a floor covering.
Persian carpet-making reached the pinnacle of its fame during the Safavid Dynasty from 1588 to 1629. The Safavid era rug pictured below was part of a collection offered by Sotheby’s in the Arts of the Islamic World & India fine rug and carpet sale in London in 2021.
Most of the 16th-century Safavid niche carpets that survive today are the results of royal gifts preserved unused in the Ottoman Royal Treasuries until the siege of Istanbul during the Turco-Russian wars three hundred years later.
The Savafid Era
During the Safavid dynasty in the 16th & 17th centuries, rulers and wealthy merchants brought together skilled artisan master weavers, designers and dyers to these city workshops—fostering design and technique innovation.
Urban workshops in cities like Isfahan, Tabriz, and Kashan, with more sophisticated looms began crafting the most exquisite rugs ever seen using fine materials, including silk, with elaborate designs featuring floral motifs, medallions, hunting and detailed pictorial scenes, mirroring the artistic and cultural influences of the time. Other urban workshops were located in Kerman, Sarouk, Bijar, Mashad, Nain, Qum and Kashgai.
By the 20th century, the Persian rug industry saw the introduction of synthetic dyes and commercial production methods resulting in a shift in the colour palettes and rug design. This was mainly influenced by increasing commercial demand for Persian rugs, both within and beyond Persia.