Shrub Carpet Fragment
Not on view
Composed of four individual pieces this fragment once belonged to the center field of a much larger carpet from Khurasan. Although fragmentary, one can identify the overall composition of the original carpet. The overall composition would have been dominated by a tall vertical symmetrical axis composed of a vase, blossoming radiant flowers, and stylized vegetal motifs, including lotuses and scrolling split palmettes, all against a deep blue ground. Textiles with this design are sometimes referred to as "shrub" carpets, after the floral bouquet, and belong to a group known as "vase" or "garden" carpets. The Met collection has only a few such weavings, which illustrate the importance of flowers and gardens in Persian art and culture.
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