Number 1908
Material Wool
Style Prayer Rug
Type Anatolian
Origin Anatolian
Size 144 x 98
Age 1910
This is a unique & brilliant Ottoman-era religious carpet woven by the native Greek community of Cappadocia in Asia Minor in 1910, the descendants of the ancient Hellenic & Byzantine peoples who had lived there for over 4,000 years.
The field is dominated by the double-headed eagle bearing two swords โ๏ธ in its talons, the famous emblem of the Byzantine emperors and, subsequently, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Constantinople. It represented the Emperorโs dual suzerainty over the temporal and spiritual worlds or, alternatively, the eastern and western spheres of Christianity. In short, power. The eagle ๐ฆ
is topped by an ecumenical crown ๐ with cross, representing the emperor (and after 1453, the GO Patriarch) as Christโs vicar on earth.
The roundel bears a Greek inscription which reads ๐๐ค๐ก๐ฎ ๐พ๐๐ช๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ผ๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ช๐ฅ๐ค๐ก๐. The top end of the rug has a further inscription ฮคฮ ฮ ฮฮฮคฮ ฮฮฮ ฮฮ ฮ ฮฮฃฮ ฮงฮกฮฮฃฮคฮฮฃ: Everywhere and in everything lives Christ. Further writings appear in the lower part.
The golden saffron field is very eye catching and reflects medieval Byzantine imperial and ecclesiastical banners, which you may still see today outside churches in Greece and elsewhere in the Green Orthodox & Greek Catholic world. The rug has melodious purple and sweet green tones which do not show so well in these hurried photos I took indoors (rain etc). The flower garland above the crown and the blossoming vines above that are delightful.
โYou donโt just buy a rug from Dr Maktabi... Itโs an experience, a rich one! You learn about history, culture & art. And more importantly you feel euphoric!โ Dr Siamak Abolhassani, Expert Medical Care Clinics, Victoria, Australia ๐ฆ๐บ
The idea of purchasing valuable rugs and other artwork online from an overseas seller is daunting for several reasons, not least of which is the fact that, not being able to examine and feel the rug for yourself, you are never entirely certain that the origin, age or condition of the rug corresponds with the dealerโs description. For me, I could never take this step unless I had absolute trust in the integrity of the dealer, and my recent experience with Hadi confirms that my faith in him was well placed. Every detail of the antique rug expertly explained by Hadi was accurate and when I finally received the actual rug, it turned out to be even more stunning than his photos depicted. F. Alsagoff, Singapore
Jโai fait la connaissance de Hadi lors de la prรฉparation de lโexposition ยซ LโEmpire des roses, chefs-dโลuvre de lโart persan du 19รจme siรจcle ยป qui a eu lieu au Louvre-Lens en 2018 et ร laquelle il a participรฉ par le prรชt de tapis exceptionnels. Jโavais alors รฉtรฉ impressionnรฉe par ses connaissances et sa passion pour les tapis orientaux. Cette rencontre a marquรฉ le dรฉbut dโune collaboration riche et fructueuse. Elle a notamment permis au musรฉe du quai Branly-Jacques Chirac de voir ses collections iraniennes sโenrichir de plusieurs tapis et tentures dont certains nโont pas leur รฉquivalent dans les musรฉes occidentaux. Ce que jโapprรฉcie chez Hadi ? Cโest son professionnalisme, son dynamisme et lโengouement quโil a pour son mรฉtier ! Hana Chidiac, Curator of the Middle East Department at the Musee Quai Branly - Jacques Chirac, Paris, France ๐ซ๐ท
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