Description

Karabag Suzani

Origin:
Central Asia, Uzbekistan

Dimensions:
245 x 167 cm

Age:
First half 19th century

Estimate:
30,000.00 - 35,000.00 €

The dense field design consists of eight large, dark red circular blossoms arranged into two parallel rows. Each blossom is surrounded by an inner green vine decorated with black fruit, possibly grapes, and a solid wide outer ring composed of colourful segments. The rings touch in several places, and two of them abut the secondary border at the upper end of the field. The diamond-shaped free spaces created by the primary design contain smaller circular flowers and twigs. The composition appears vibrant and the style of drawing is a rustic one. It is striking that the main border of circular blossoms and diagonal twigs, their ends spiralling inwards, displays a large number of the same black grapes as those seen in the field design. A suzani in the Wolf Collection shows the same black grapes in the main border. This very rare suzani was probably made in a village in the Karabag region situated between Bokhara and Shakhrisyabz. Comprising only a very few examples, this group has been little studied to date. – Slight signs of age and wear. Backed with canvas.

Literature:
GRUBE, ERNST J., Keshte. The Marshall and Marylyn R. Wolf Collection. New York 2003, no. 5

Published:
VOK, IGNAZIO, Vok Collection. Suzani. A Textile Art from Central Asia. (Text by Jakob Taube) Munich 1994, no. 16