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According to Faig, the main goal of art is to break any laws and boundaries, to free one from conditionality, to which he moves in his research works. Those who have seen the artist's fascinating art objects will definitely lose one stereotype, and for the desire to hang such a carpet on their wall, no one will definitely call you a retrograde.

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Palazzo Grassi is one of two museums that French tycoon and passionate collector François Pinault set up in Venice after he could not find a decent place for his collection in France. Usually thematic exhibitions are held here, but for the second time (the first time Urs Fischer visited here) the palazzo is given to one artist, who turns it into a single work of art.

The main part of the installation is an oriental carpet covering all floors and walls on three floors. With an exaggerated large-scale ornament, it looks not quite real, overgrown, as if the Azerbaijani kilim, which was inspired by Rudolf Stingel, captured the entire space, entwining it like ivy.

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What impact does it have on Contemporary Art?

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What impact does it have on Contemporary Art?

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Connoisseur Caliber Caucasian Kazak Antique circa 1875 Rug 4ft 11in x 8ft 6in Antique Rug - Claremont Rug Company

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Tribal antique rug, 4ft x 8ft, 3rd quarter, 19th century. Lush full pile and luxuriously silky, lustrous wool invigorate this resplendent antique Caucasian Karachov Kazak, pulsating with vitality despite over 135 years of age.

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COLORS

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" Kazak" carpet s are not from Kazakstan (which is on the opposite, eastern shore of the Caspian sea) but are from an area in what is now Armenia and Georgia. The word probably derives from the Russian for Cossack - originally Christian Russian and Ukrainian serfs who fled from feudal landlords, and were known as vicious warriors.

The colors of the best antique (100 years old or greater) Caucasian carpets were produced exclusively from natural materials found in the respective tribal regions, with the deep greens, vibrant yellows, and deep rose tones being the most precious.

Most older Caucasian antique tribal carpets are "all wool" - not only the knotted pile, but the warp and weft threads are usually made from hand-spun woolen yarn or goat hair. However, one can sometimes find older antique carpets (and, more frequently, in some newer examples) with cotton warps and wefts. Shirvan region Oriental rugs are noted for their wool wrap threads, but are made with cotton weft threads and selvedges.

Warp threads can be made of undyed light yarn in one area, and dark or mixed in another. Goat hair is also seen for the warp threads, but never for the pile.

Weft threads can be different colors: rusty red/brown, blue, or white, although they are typically red in the Kazak district.

The number and colors of selvedges often can be an identifier to the area of origin.

The designs and colors of antique Caucasian rugs are unique for two reasons: tradition - more deeply rooted in Asia than anywhere else, and the inherent geographic isolation.

So often one hears the expression, "vegetable dyes". This is a misnomer. "Natural dyes" is more appropriate, as not only plants, herbs, and roots are used, but minerals, insects and mollusks, as well! The colors most often seen in naturally dyed antique Caucasian rugs are:

from the root of the madder plant, can vary in shade of selected roots from light-orange-red to deep, rich reds or even to purple reds.

Indigo: By fermenting the blossoms of the indigo plant, liquor is produced that can be varied to give literally every shade of blue, from powder to midnight indigo. The length of immersion is the key.

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Dyes and Colors Used in Antique Caucasian Rugs

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" Kazak" carpet s are not from Kazakstan (which is on the opposite, eastern shore of the Caspian sea) but are from an area in what is now Armenia and Georgia. The word probably derives from the Russian for Cossack - originally Christian Russian and Ukrainian serfs who fled from feudal landlords, and were known as vicious warriors.

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What's the differences between carpet and rug?

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Rug and carpet, any decorative textile normally made of a thick material and now usually intended as a floor covering. Until the 19th century the word carpet was used for any cover, such as a table cover or wall hanging; since the introduction of machine-made products, however, it has been used almost exclusively for a floor covering. Both in Great Britain and in the United States the word rug is often used for a partial floor covering as distinguished from carpet, which frequently is tacked down to the floor and usually covers it wall-to-wall. In reference to handmade carpets, however, the names rug and carpet are used interchangeably.

Handmade carpets are works of art as well as functional objects. Indeed, many Oriental carpets have reached such heights of artistic expression that they have been held in the same regard in the East as objects of exceptional beauty and luxury that masterpieces of painting have been in the West.

Field and border designs

Designs usually consist of an inner field-the pattern in the centre of the carpet-and a border. The latter serves, like the cornice on a building or the frame on a picture, to emphasize the limits, isolate the field, and sometimes control the implied movements of the interior pattern. The design of inner field and border must harmonize pleasingly, yet remain distinct.

The border consists of a minimum of three elements: a main band, which varies greatly in width according to the size of the rug and the elaborateness of the field design, and inner and outer guard stripes, subordinate bands on either side of the main band. The guard stripes may be the same on both sides of the main band or be different. The most common decoration for the field is an allover pattern, a panel composition, or a medallion system. The allover pattern may be of identical repeats ( see photograph), either juxtaposed or evenly spaced, though the latter, while common on textiles, is rare on carpets; or it may be of varied motifs in a unified system (e.g., different plant forms of about the same size), but even this freest type of design almost invariably includes bilaterally balanced repetitions. The varied motif type of design is found most typically in garden carpets, formalized representations of the parks or woods that were a feature of Persian palace grounds.

Another type of allover design appears to be entirely free but is actually organized on systems of scrolling stems, notably on the east Persian carpets of the 16th and 17th centuries.

The value of panel subdivisions for controlling patterns had been discovered in a simple rectangular version by the Upper Paleolithic Period ( c. 40,000 bc), and panel systems have been a basic form of design since 4000 bc, when pottery painters were already devising varied systems. On carpets, the lattice provides the simplest division of the field, often a diagonal lattice as appears on an embroidered carpet found in an excavated tomb (1st century bc-1st century ad) at Noin Ula in northern Mongolia; the diagonal scheme also appears on Sāsānian capitals and in Coptic tapestries. But a characteristic field design of the Persian court carpets of the Shāh ʿAbbās period, the so-called vase pattern, is constructed from the ogee, a motif that became prominent in Middle Eastern textile design in the 14th century. Simple rectangular paneling-really a large-scale check-is typical of one style of Spanish rugs of the 15th and 16th centuries.

The most frequent medallion composition consists of a more or less elaborate motif superimposed on the centre of a patterned field and often complemented with cornerpieces, which are typically quadrants of the central medallion ( see photograph). But multiple-medallion systems also are used: either a succession or a chain of medallions on the vertical axis; two or more forms of medallions alternating in bands, a scheme typical of the Turkish (Ushak) carpets of the 16th and 17th centuries; or systematically spotted medallions that may or may not be interconnected or that may interlock so that the scheme becomes an elaborate lattice.

Courtesy of the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., Widener Collection; photograph, Otto E. Nelson

Persian carpets of the 15th-17th century commonly have multiple-design schemes; that is, composition systems with elements that relate on two or more levels. The simplest is the medallion superimposed on an allover design, but more typical are subtler inventions such as two- or three-spiral stem systems, sometimes overlain with large-scale cloud bands, all intertwining but each carried independently to completion. The finer vase carpets have double or triple ogival lattices set at different intervals (staggered), each with its own centre, and tangent motifs that also serve other functions in the other systems. What at first sight appears to be a great multiplicity of independent motifs thus proves on careful examination to be ingeniously contrived and firmly controlled.

Occasionally, stripe systems are used, either vertical or diagonal, but this conception is more natural to shuttlewoven fabrics, and, when employed in the freer techniques of rug weaving, it is probably an imitation of textiles.

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Rug and carpet, any decorative textile normally made of a thick material and now usually intended as a floor covering.

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The patterns mentioned below are a few occuring patterns, often used on carpets with all-over/repeatedly motifs.

Herati-pattern

This pattern has its name from the city of Herat in Northwestern Afghanistan. It is a common pattern found mainly on handmade carpets from Iran. It comprises of a flower inside a rhomb surrounded by four acanthus-leaves. These leafs are sometimes called fishes, because of its similarity, and the pattern is often used on carpets with an all-over/repeated motif.

Boteh-pattern

This pattern is in addition to the herati, the most common in oriental carpet patterns. It is characterized by a pear-like repeated motif pointing upwards. The pattern is considered by few to be a flame, other interpretations also exists such as a leaf, a bush or a pine. It also resembles the imprint from a hand. Another name used for the Boteh is Mir-e buteh .

Shah Abbas pattern

A central pattern on oriental carpets consisting of arabesque-, palmettes and lotus-motifs in elegant shapes which demand a high knot density. This pattern was developed during Shah Abbas I regency and is common in Keshan, Isfahan, Mashad and Nain carpets and also in carpets that copy the Persian style such as India, China and Pakistan.

Göl pattern

Göl, is an elephant-like, often octagonal repeated pattern which in different shapes is used as a carpet pattern and heraldic emblem mainly among the Turkmoman people who manufacture the carpets. The pattern is common on Afghan carpets for example. It should not be confused with the Gül.

Gül pattern

Gül ( Persian gol "rose" ), is the name given to a floral motif on oriental carpets, for example the gül-i-henna ( which depicts the henna plant) and gül-i-frank (french rose), a French accentuated pattern, often pictured with five flowers. This pattern should not be confused with the Göl.

Dyrnakpattern

This is a Turkish pattern occuring on carpets made by the Turkish Yomuts, and it often has details in a larger göl pattern. It is considered to be a very old pattern and occurs sometimes in a simple style and in more complex variations.

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Patterns in carpets - Carpet Encyclopedia | Carpet Encyclopedia

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The patterns mentioned below are a few occuring patterns, often used on carpets with all-over/repeatedly motifs. This pattern has its name from the city of Herat in Northwestern Afghanistan. It is a common pattern found mainly on handmade carpets from Iran. It comprises of a flower inside a rhomb surrounded by four acanthus-leaves.

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Art Deco Movie Theater Carpet Pattern Art Printby studio splatter 

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Zahra's Blog + Brown Lady Art Collective

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Faig Ahmed, one of Azerbaijan's most internationally recognised visual artists, adds a decidedly modern twist to carpet weaving, string art and embroidery. Art Radar spoke with Ahmed to learn more about his most recent riffs on traditional Azerbaijani textiles, and how the artist prevents himself from being held "hostage to tradition".

Faig Ahmed (b. 1982, Baku, Azerbaijan) successfully completed his BFA in Sculpture from the Azerbaijan State Academy of Fine Arts in 2004. In 2013, the artist was shortlisted for the Jameel Prize 3 at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

Ahmed has exhibited his work throughout the world, including group and solo exhibitions in Europe, India, Hong Kong, New York, Russia and the UAE. His work is part of both private and public collections, such as the Amhem Museum, the Buta Foundation, the Seattle Art Museum and the Yarat Contemporary Art Centre.

Art Radar caught up with Ahmed to learn more about his creative process, what makes the Azerbaijani contemporary art scene unusual, and why he considers himself more of an "explorer" than an artist.

Creating outside of the box
I've read that you feel you are "not an artist but an explorer". Please elaborate on In 2014, you travelled to India for the first time. Regarding this journey, you said it was "a dream come true". this comment Has your recent interest in Indian embroidery influenced your artwork? How? . How does one make a "liquid" carpet? Do you use local artisans for your work or do all of the work yourself?
To me, an artist is someone who sees the tangible results of his/her ideas reflected in their artwork. You may think that I do the same, but no! The final result itself doesn't interest me that much. The reality of my art is that it is still very much in the process of research and discovery. I create it and it's just a part of the global system of art fairs and people's opinions about each piece.

I'm an explorer, so I'm much more interested in what I unearth through my research. My artworks are just my reports that reflect various periods of my investigations.

Throughout my life, India has had a great impact on me. I was dreaming about it even as a child. When I was ten, I found a yoga book that mesmerised me. I started practicing and it naturally brought me to Osho and other beautiful practices and philosophies. I even started learning Sanskrit. I dreamed of travelling to India and finding a guru.
Tell us the story behind the carpet upcycled for the Recycled Tradition piece. Have you had the opportunity to send an image of the piece to the woman who sold the carpet to you? If so, what was her reaction?
So when I eventually travelled there, I thought I'd be prepared, but I was not. India is a place that influences all of your senses at the same time. I mean, if something is dirty, it's really dirty. If the food is good, then it's absolutely divine. This happens with everything. I had this experience on my own and had difficulties sharing these feelings with my friends when I returned home. Then, I started observing myself and found out that my best friend (just like when I was ten) is myself. I had to live twenty more years to understand that. Now, I'm ten again and I'm happy.

In Delhi, I started doing my experimental artwork with Indian embroidery and I met two people who have really helped me with that - Valeria Corvo and Mala Shukla. Before my trip to India, all my artistic expression was directed outwards. After I went through the process of learning Indian embroidery, my expression is now internal and directed into myself.

I work with a group. Usually there are twenty to 25 people involved in the process. This group experience gives my work vitality and I'm the spark that ignites it.

When I decide to begin a piece, I first talk to the carpet makers and then edit and correct their work alongside my own sketch. Next, my artwork is transferred onto engineering paper. After these preparations, the weaving process begins. As a rule, the process itself is not that easy, and I have to visit the workshop often and make corrections all along the way.

Each work needs a different type of research. For a carpet from the "Fluid Forms" show, for example, I was pouring paint onto the walls to see how different colours blend into each other and flow. For the Geometric series of carpets, I was cutting different shapes from paper to place over the surfaces to see what kinds of shades they create.
What did it teach you about being a "hostage to tradition"?
Being held hostage by tradition
Please tell us a bit about your Embroidery Space installation. What were some of the challenges that you experienced with this installation? Were there any surprises?
The idea of this artwork was born from the depth of the "transformed carpets" concept. Initially, I had done research analysing recycled culture. It was all very impersonal. I started to work four months before production to find the right carpet. What I needed was a 150 to 200-year-old carpet to be cut into the form of a "recycled" symbol.

I was shown different options, but there was only one that caught my attention. I wanted to start cutting it immediately after leaving the workshop, but the carpet seller asked me if I wanted to hear the story of the carpet first. He told me that there are gypsies who buy and resell old carpets. They suggested visiting an old woman in south Azerbaijan who had a beautiful old carpet in perfect condition. Initially, this woman rejected selling it, because she had inherited this carpet from her grandmother and it was the only thing she had taken with her from her father's house when she got married many years ago. This was a tradition in the old days in Azerbaijan.
What is the inspiration behind the combination of traditional Islamic forms and patterns within your contemporary structures?
This woman couldn't take anything from her home, because her parents were against her marriage and only her grandmother had supported her, giving her this carpet and helping her run away with her lover. After several visits and after she knew the carpet would be sold to an artist, she agreed to sell it.

I also discovered that this carpet was a Garabakh carpet, which is in another part of Azerbaijan. This lady can't go there anymore, because this territory is occupied by Armenia and there are armed clashes between the two countries. So, when I took a cutting knife to cut the carpet, I couldn't do it. Suddenly, I realised that I'm also a hostage of tradition! This story's impact on me was so huge that I couldn't destroy this carpet with my own hands.
How would you explain the current Azerbaijani art scene to someone who is new to the country and its creative traditions?
I then passed it to an art production company to prepare it for me and didn't tell them how old it was. After the work was done and Recycled Tradition was sent to Holland for the exhibition, I tried to find this lady. She had moved to another city, and that happened all of a sudden. I wanted to talk to her. I spoke to her on the telephone before it was processed and she told me that she wanted to see the result. Maybe she saw the artwork and doesn't want to talk to me anymore?

I love being a hostage, because it's a quiz and you have to take it to set yourself free. I think we are never completely free anyway, but you should exactly know where your own cage ends.
Is life in contemporary Azerbaijan changing? As an artist, do you feel that it is important to embrace the past, while breaking away from some of the possibly outdated traditions and stereotypes?
Maybe it's my most interesting artwork, because it can be exactly divided into parts. The first part is totally traditional regarding the rules of composition. Usually my assistants make this part. The second, or freestyle section, is the most spontaneous and unexpected, because I always decide how to do it on-site.

I did this installation in Dubai in 2014 and decided to connect two buildings with threads. It was so difficult to get the permit for that! Eventually we got permission, on the condition that the work could only be done after nine o'clock at night. I had to drink energy drinks to stay up day and night!

The result was amazing: threads were connecting buildings from the roofs to the balconies and back. All the people who worked in this area were totally unprepared for this change in their environment. It was so beautiful until the wind started blowing and the rain started falling - along with the threads.
Any interesting stories on how the audience reacts to your work both inside Azerbaijan and abroad?
Islamic shapes have been developed over many hundreds of years and have reached an apogee of ornament and geometry. Because of this tradition, it's a huge responsibility to work with such difficult and complex patterns and try to pull a new form out of there.
Are there any upcoming shows, exhibitions and biennales where your work is being shown in the next six months?
Brave new world
Lisa Pollman
Contemporary art in Azerbaijan is not new, but it is developing and still very fresh. After the collapse of the USSR in the 1990s, most local artists were using abstract and Western art as a model. Today, they try to find their way by looking back to traditional art forms and techniques. Perhaps I have in some small way helped with this transition, as I have curated shows with several young local artists in the recent past.

I think it's difficult to define the face of contemporary art in Azerbaijan. I like that there are lots of young artists who explore and research the culture and history of our country, in both ancient and contemporary times. There are enormous amounts of resources and energy there.

You can't move forward without leaving some parts of tradition and culture behind, but it's tradition that observes and examines a country.

Azerbaijanis are very flexible. We have been conquered many times and have been a part of different empires, spoken many languages and changed alphabets many times - from Farsi to Arabic, Cyrillic and Latin. At the same time, the majority of the people use traditional elements of home decoration - like carpets - to connect with some kind of cultural ground under their feet.

It's a delicate balance. You have to be sensitive to changes while keeping your identity and remembering your roots.

I like the reaction of kids. They have the most honest and transparent reactions to my art. During one of exhibitions, a boy ten or eleven years old approached my Flood of Yellow Weight carpet and asked his mother if the boy who stained the carpet was punished like he was! I asked the mother if she punished her son for staining the carpet and she answered that she did. I told her that my parents didn't punish me for doing so, and maybe that's the reason why I dare to do all these manipulations with the carpets and maybe she has to give him more freedom.

I will have a solo show in Rome at the Montoro 12 Contemporary Art Gallery in March/April, and in New Delhi in November. I'm also doing an installation during Art Dubai at the Dubai International Financial Centre and am included in a group show at the YARAT Contemporary Art Centre in March. In addition, I am planning solo shows in London and New York this year.

Azerbaijani artist Faig Ahmed transforms traditional techniques into lush 3D forms - interview

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Azerbaijani artist Faig Ahmed transforms traditional techniques into lush 3D forms - interview

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Azerbaijan's Faig Ahmed merges fresh, modern textiles with traditional techniques. Faig Ahmed, one of Azerbaijan's most internationally recognised visual artists, adds a decidedly modern twist to carpet weaving, string art and embroidery. Art Radar spoke with Ahmed to learn more about his most recent riffs on traditional Azerbaijani textiles, and how the artist prevents himself...

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At A Glance

A magical environment of color, pattern, illusion, and movement commissioned by the Association for Public Art and temporarily installed for The Oval's 2014 season

Featured 3-D illusion art, colored sandboxes, oversized game boards, and the artist's signature decorative motifs rendered in vinyl, among other attractions

Candy Coated is a multimedia artist whose work brings together installation art, popular culture, fantasy, fashion, printmaking and a passion for vivid color

Commissioned by the Association for Public Art, artist Candy Coated transformed The Oval in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art into a magical environment of color, pattern, illusion, and movement with Magic Carpet. The artist's exuberant design included 3-D illusion art, brilliantly colored sandboxes, oversized game boards, and her signature decorative motifs rendered in vinyl, among other unique attractions. Magic Carpet was featured from July 16 - August 17, 2014 at The Oval, an initiative of Philadelphia Parks & Recreation in partnership with the Fairmount Park Conservancy.
Magic Carpet was comprised of 5 distinct areas:
1. "Welcome" - Visitors were welcomed to the Magic Carpet at The Oval with a pathway pattern of blue circles that resembled stylized clouds. This area hosted The Oval stage covered with the artist's signature designs in the vibrant colors that encompass the Magic Carpet experience.

2. "The Garden Labyrinth" - This area accommodated food trucks along the perimeter and French café tables, chairs, and umbrellas at the center of the site. Under foot was an elaborate arrangement of large diamond shaped rondelle forms that suggested a labyrinth network. Many of the umbrellas on the site were painted with diamond forms that placed visitors in the midst of a space that was energized by pattern and movement.

3. "Totally out of this World (Light Blast)" - This area featured a trompe l'oeil (or trick of the eye) light blast meteor crater, an optical illusion that was a great photo opportunity for visitors. Bright light and gemstones burst from deep below to challenge the senses. Also incorporated into this area were oversized game boards and ping pong tables.

4. "Sensory Transportation" - Visitors could play in diamond shaped sandboxes filled with brilliant pink colored sand, and a water mister feature provided sensory relief and respite. Visitors could explore the giant butterflies and try hopscotch among the pattern of blue circles that bookended Magic Carpet.

5. "The Lawn" - Around the edge of the Magic Carpet was a textile-like border of diamond shapes. On the perimeter of the Magic Carpet were oversized buoys, painted with leaf images and embellished with reflective material that was gently animated by passing traffic. Hanging from the trees were brightly colored vinyl globes hung in pendants with ornamental charms and tassels. There were resting places, playing places, and activities: chairs, balls, volleyball, badminton, bocce, and miniature golf.

Candy Coated (formerly Candy Depew) is a multimedia artist who works internationally. An enthusiast of the decorative arts, her work brings together installation art, popular culture, fantasy, fashion, printmaking and a passion for vivid color. In 2013, she created Candy Coated Wonderland, an installation at the Philadelphia Museum of Art that reinterpreted children's fancy dress costumes from the Museum's collection. Candy established her "Studio School" of decorative art & design in Philadelphia. She has also worked as Master Printer at the Fabric Workshop and Museum. A recipient of the Pew Fellowship in the Arts, Candy complete d her MFA at Tyler School of Art at Temple University and worked with The London Consortium at the Tate Modern, London, United Kingdom.

Voices heard in the program:

Candy Coated is the multimedia artist who created Magic Carpet.

Dilys Blum is Senior Curator of Costumes and Textiles at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Nicholas Kripal (1953-2016) was Professor, Chair of Crafts Department, and Head of Ceramics Area at Tyler School of Art at Temple University.

Segment Producer: Yowei Shaw

Music by Jon Shapiro

Photos by Constance Mensh and the Association for Public Art

Artist-led Workshops at The Oval

FREE but registration required and space is limited.

Screen Printing Workshop

Candy teaches participants how to screen print using design motifs from Magic Carpet.
Thursday, July 31, 2014, 6pm-8:30pm (Part of The Oval's Arts & Culture Thursdays)

>> Click here to register

Painted Parasol Workshop

Candy leads participants as they decorate and paint parasols inspired by the surrounding landscape.
Sunday, August 10, 2014, 1pm-3:30pm (Part of The Oval's Family Fun Day Sundays)

>> Click here to register

BONUS Screen Printing Workshop!

Due to popular demand, Candy teaches an additional screen printing workshop using design motifs from Magic Carpet.
Thursday, August 14, 2014, 6pm-7:30pm

>> Click here to register

For more information about The Oval programming, visit theovalphl.org.

July 16th Kick-Off Celebration

On Wednesday, July 16, 2014, the Association for Public Art, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, and Fairmount Park Conservancy celebrated the official kick-off of Magic Carpet and The Oval's summer season. With artist Candy Coated in attendance, this free public event featured activities for all ages, a performance from the Philadelphia Rhythmic Academy, a DJ, food trucks, face painting and more.
See PHOTOS from the event
Special thanks to those who helped make Magic Carpet possible:

The Association for Public Art Board of Trustees, Staff, and Members
Artist Candy Coated
Mark Focht, Barry Bessler, Chris Palmer, Marc Wilken - Philadelphia Parks & Recreation
Kathryn Ott Lovell, Colleen Campbell, Sara Hirschler - Fairmount Park Conservancy
Laura Krebs - Cashman & Associates
Ralph Frangipani - Phoenix Digital Imaging
Craig Tragbar, Joe Marzario, Ray Mcgroary, and Lindsay Wysocki - Schnoll Painting
Mike Maguire - Sherwin Williams
Chris Sullivan, Joe Hill - Wasabi 3D
Natalie Diener Weddings & Events
Skanska USA Building
Hatzel & Buehler
Alec Rogers
Andrew Krehbiel
Casey Ramirez
Daniel Reece
Jaclyn Garvey
Jeffrey Bouchard
Nick Cassaway
With much appreciation to all of the Project Assistants who helped the artist realize this artwork:
Andrei Cabrera, Alyssa Choma, Michael Cosenza, Sarah Davis, Greta Galuszka, Jaclyn Garvey, Kala Hagopian, Rebecca Jacob, Cavin Jones, Valerie Lang, Katie Lillard, Andrew McGettigan, Diane Pieri, Lyric Prince, Amber Quisenberry, Mark Rounds, Daniel Scheppard, Jen Schlegel, Brendan Siltman, Chad Smalt, John Souter, Jean Swalm, Jon Weary, Amber Weeks, Ali Williams, and Zack Zubry.
And additional thanks to the Magic Carpet Museum Without Walls™: AUDIO program team:
Yowei Shaw (Producer), Dilys Blum (voice), Nicholas Kripal (voice), and Jon Shapiro (composer).

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Magic Carpet - Association for Public Art

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A magical environment of color, pattern, illusion, and movement commissioned by the Association for Public Art and temporarily installed for The Oval's 2014 season Featured 3-D illusion art, colored sandboxes, oversized game boards, and the artist's signature decorative motifs rendered in vinyl, among other attractions Candy Coated is a multimedia

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Flood of Yellow Weight, 2012. Photograph: Faig Ahmed

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Tradition in Pixel, 2010. Photograph: Faig Ahme

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De-stabilization, 2016. Photograph: Faig Ahmed

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In the Dutch painting of the Golden Age, carpets were widely represented in portraits of wealthy merchants and officials, in genre painting, in paintings of the interiors of the houses of Dutch burghers, in paintings with mythological subjects and in a number of still lifes. For the artist, the carpet was very significant: it is a bright and expressive detail that makes the overall color much more picturesque and attractive, and also endows the image of the portrayed with additional symbolic meanings. Carpets from the sphere of ceremonial portrait pass into the area of ​​everyday realistic genre and various allegorical subjects.

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Virgin, 2016. Photograph: Fakhriyya Mammadova/YARAT Contemporary Art Space

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Virgin, 2016. Photograph: Fakhriyya Mammadova/YARAT Contemporary Art Space

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Liquid, 2014. Photograph: Faig Ahmed

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Exhibition "Common imaginary" 2015

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FotoDepartament presents group exhibition of young photographers

26.06 - 10.09.2015

Participants: Anna Bashkirova / Yury Gudkov / Nina Dudoladova / Feodora Kaplan / Evgeny Litvinov / Yury Koryakovsky / Daria Pokrass / Anna Sopova / Olga Sukhareva / Natalia Fedorova / Denis Shulepov

Curator of the exhibition: Nadya Sheremetova / Fotodepartament

The exhibition opens in the frame of the program of events of the International summer portfolio-review

Everything started when photography began to be observed as photography - as everyday photography, like an open phenomena. Behind the photography, made not by themselves, not belonging to themselves, or photography trying to hide itself, but the opposite, those demonstrating themselves to someone unknown, and in the end it isn't important to whom; with tremendous force everything is merged into the ever-multiplying network. Our exhibition is about this convergence and the interconnected enchantment. The excesses, seized by accessible to the gaze space, overcome by individual possibilities of reception and acceptance, by the space of others - neighbors, strangers, anonymous people, by the world of things and desires - authors designate to themselves the game, more serious than which and complicated to present - define yourself across another game. Time and time again balancing between 'we' and 'I'.

Avito became the most attractive for participants as a platform of investigation. It is a buying and selling service of already unneeded or new but unwanted in the future things, a meeting place of collective desires, of alien experiences and individual discovery. Even from the beginning photography had entered such a field - photostreams, in which art itself happens with viewers. Philosopher Philipp Lakoue Labarth speaks about the power of every great piece of art to "put aside" existence, to distance itself from being, making unknown and familiar - Unheimlich à la Freud, so that art finds itself as such, or more specific, so that it unexpectedly spots itself and it's presence. The nature of social media's photostreams, like that of Avito's where supply and demand of subjects like household goods, search for work, search for love or sale of a home, forms through photography, as much materially as intimately with the point of lowering all barriers of translation of personal space in the field of visibility, so that that known in an unknown, alien but also shared, mesmerizes, scared, and captivates simultaneously; the impossibility to watch and impossibility to tear away your gaze. If one peers in, then everything is uncovered, like how if not everything becomes understandable, but much in the region where it is decided to cast one's gaze.

Every participant of the exhibition defined the field of their personal interest, which is based in the responding flow of photo material, but continues in the setting of other questions. Although investigation of the photographs themselves is the most interesting task; how they are created, and which system of presentation and which goals the author is trying to show, what they translate and uncover, what erupts between the text of postings, department in which is situated illustrations uploaded by users, what happens with those who examine these images and what do professional photographers find inspiring in this collectively formed unique esthetic. The flow of images, already confirmed by their enormity, and that which their flow will be endless and updated, all serve as a hallucination of reality. And as a domain of art, or of a meeting that transforms all of it's participants, this flow forms a space of shared imagination, like a dream, in which everything is 'dreamt' to one another and the work of the personal and the collective psyches takes places, their attraction and connected ecstasy. The partnership to this dream brings both the viewers and the participants in the flow of images closer, gives rise to the possibility to accept one another as the spontaneous affected opening of the possibility to find another in yourself - to feel like a direct part of a whole.

Nadya Sheremetova

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FotoDepartament presents group exhibition of young photographers Participants: Anna Bashkirova / Yury Gudkov / Nina Dudoladova / Feodora Kaplan / Evgeny Litvinov / Yury Koryakovsky / Daria Pokrass / Anna Sopova / Olga Sukhareva / Natalia Fedorova / Denis Shulepov Curator of the exhibition: Nadya Sheremetova / Fotodepartament The exhibition opens in the frame of the program of events of the International summer portfolio-review Everything started when photography began to be observed as photography - as everyday photography, like an open phenomena.

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The mastery of rug weaving is traditionally passed on from one generation to another. Girls start watching their mothers at work. In Tabasaran families, women were the family's primary breadwinners since they earned more money than the men.

Nikolay Rykov, Dmitry Chistoprudov

The best wool rugs from Russia are woven in Tabasaran (a province in the south of Dagestan). This is where they make hand-made tufted carpets using a centuries-old design.

All rights reserved by Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

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Dagestani craftsmen: how to make a rug with your own hands

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The mastery of rug weaving is traditionally passed on from one generation to another. Girls start watching their mothers at work. In Tabasaran families, women were the family's primary breadwinners since they earned more money than the men. Nikolay Rykov, Dmitry Chistoprudov The best wool rugs from Russia are woven in Tabasaran (a province in the south of Dagestan).

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A Moscow art gallery on Wednesday displayed a collection of propaganda artwork from Soviet Azerbaijan, including carpets and embroidery.

The exhibition Echo of the Soviet Azerbaijan. Carpet. Embroidery. Poster at the State Museum of Oriental Art in Russia's capital focuses on how political events influenced artists over a 50-year period.

It explores how the country was transformed from a predominately Muslim society to a communist state.

Curator Maria Filatova told Efe: "The people who lived through the arrival of the revolution also lived through the previous times and were educated in Muslim traditions.

"There was a substitution of the main values ??in people's minds.

"Allah was replaced by Lenin, Stalin and other leaders - new kinds of idols."

The exhibit brings together 40 items from the 1920s to 1970s, including large rugs and tapestries in the socialist realism style, with embroidered portraits of Soviet leaders and everyday scenes made of cloth using traditional techniques.

One poster, dated 1921, reflects the social transition with a young woman removing her veil in front of other girls, while flying a red flag.

"If we look closely we see a reference to Liberty Leading the People by Eugène Delacroix: it was a very prominent image at that time," Filatova said.

"And here in a very unusual way we have a Muslim woman whose world changes with this gesture."

Tatiana Metaxa, of the State Museum of Oriental Art, highlighted a collage mural from the 1920s that addresses the same issue.

"It relates to how oriental women took off their veils, how they were released," she said.

She added that the exhibition as a whole "transmits a very positive energy".

Before the Russian revolution there was no tradition of easel painting in Azerbaijan.

Instead artists worked with embroidery, carpets and tapestries, which often served a decorative function.

From 1920, when the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic was formed, these pieces changed in function from decorations in palaces to occupying office walls and public spaces.

Filatova said the show transcends propaganda because of the passage of time, which allows visitors to appreciate the artistic quality behind the politics in the pieces.

"What in Soviet times looked like something everyday, habitual and tired, now after so much time is appreciated in a totally different way, we can discover the beauty of these works," she added.

Islamic art, limited to the representation of human beings and animals and composed mainly of geometric and calligraphic forms, lead to a new form of expression with people occupying the centre of the discourse.

One of the most striking pieces in the collection is a huge carpet titled Oil Worker that features a working family flying a red flag, with large company buildings in the background.

This socialist idyll is surrounded by a frame of geometric motifs in the traditional Azerbaijani decorative style, alternated with a filigree of pipes and oil towers.

Filatova said: "The Soviet carpets were on a palatial scale, which developed from the 16th Century and kept their composition.

"Only the subject changed: instead of calligraphy they showed scenes about the 'heroic' work of the people." EFE-EPA

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Carpets and embroidery from Soviet Azerbaijan star in exhibition

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A Moscow art gallery on Wednesday displayed a collection of propaganda artwork from Soviet Azerbaijan, including carpets and embroidery. The exhibition Echo of the Soviet Azerbaijan. Carpet. Embroidery. Poster at the State Museum of Oriental Art in Russia's capital focuses on how political events influenced artists over a 50-year period.

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The State Museum of Oriental Art of Russia, in cooperation with the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum (ANCM), is holding an exhibition called "Echo of Soviet Azerbaijan. Carpet. Embroidery. Poster." The main theme of the exhibition is the Soviet-era symbolism found in carpets and embroidery from 1920 to 1970. A total 38 exhibits are presented: carpets of the 1920s through the 1970s from the collection of the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum (Baku), textile panels and their sketches, embroidery from the 1920s and 1930s, carpets from 1920 to 1950 from the collection of the State Museum of Oriental Art (Moscow), and posters of the 1920s from the collection of the Mardjani Foundation (Moscow).

The main theme of the exhibition is the Soviet-era symbolism found in carpets and embroidery from 1920 to 1970

The exhibits were selected as examples of the political propaganda of the Soviet era. This particular type of textile propaganda was adopted by the Soviets around the 1920s, beginning with Lenin's 1918 plan of "monumental propaganda," which determined specific historical figures that were worthy to be immortalized in sculpture, painting and other works of art. These selections included numerous images of Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, Leonid Brezhnev, and Fidel Castro. Many other politically aligned figures were immortalized in stone, bronze and even oriental textiles.

Pile woolen carpet " Emblem of the Azerbaijan SSR" 1980, 100×100, Azerbaijan National Caret museum

Silk painting "Cultural crusade of Komsomol", the 1920s, 109×80, author: Shahtakhtinskaya S.

Trains, posters and carpets

Interestingly, the Soviet propaganda began with "agit-trains"-locomotives which had their cars repurposed for the display of propaganda. In 1918, the special department of agit-trains was established at the All-Russian Central Executive Committee. The "agitation and decorative" paintings were drawn by artists of the collective IZO-AGIT under the guidance of the artist Ignatius Nivinsky. There were many of these trains, and their names spoke for themselves: "The October Revolution," the "Red Railwayman," the "Red Cossack," the "Soviet Caucasus," and the "Red East." Each train traveled on a specific territory, and "the Red East" traveled in Central Asia. In addition to agit-trains, there were agit-steamers (steamboats) that had walls decorated with inscriptions and images calling on viewers to struggle for a brighter future.

Carpet "Portrait of Lenin" by Baily Sharapov and Sapargul Sharapova, wool, 100×70, Cheleken, 1925

Portrait of Fidel Castro, wool, cotton, silk. 100×150 sm. Ashkhabad

The agit-transport was followed by posters. In Azerbaijan, these posters were produced by a state-run artists' studio, established in the 1920s as the art department of BakkavRost (Baku-Caucasus branch of the Russian Telegraph Agency). This studio was home to artists such as Sergei Gorodetsky, Azim Azimzade, Huseyn Kuli Huseynov, V. Ter-Pogosov and many others, all of whom created colorful print products on hot daily issues. In Central Asia, agitation graphics were launched almost simultaneously. For instance, few people know that in 1915, the "School of Oriental Arts" was opened in Ashgabat. N. Kostenko, O. Mizgireva, A. Vladichuk, V. Nikonov, V. Demidenkov, and many others created the first propaganda posters in Central Asia. The posters added "eastern" features of the target audience: inscriptions were made in Cyrillic and Arabic fonts, vestimentary features were observed, and eloquent symbols were used. This allowed educated people to read the inscription, and Central Asian Muslims who could not read Russian could still understand the meaning of the poster through the picture.

Carpet "Friendship of Peoples", sketch by Krylov E., Bayramov R., and others, wool, silk, 600×400, Ashkhabad, 1958

Carpet propaganda began in the 1920s. The "Echo of Soviet Azerbaijan" exhibition will present two of the first such carpets from Azerbaijani artisans: "World Revolution Leader Lenin and Leader of Orient Narimanov" (Karabakh, Shusha city, 1920, Wool, 140×193, the State Museum of Oriental Art) and "Lenin" (1920s, Wool, 193×92, ANCM). In Central Asia, the most famous carpets were produced in Turkmenistan. The first woven portraits of Lenin were manufactured by Turkmen carpet-makers in Mary and in Cheleken in 1925. This was the beginning of the realization of "Leniniana" in carpets and embroidery; for example, one iconic carpet displays a portrait of Lenin. Professional artists collaborated with carpet-makers: "Victory Holiday," "Likbez," "Friendship of the peoples of the Soviet Union," "Leninism wins," and numerous portraits of the heroes of the communist revolution and Soviet times were all products of this collaboration. The exhibition in the State Museum of Oriental Art features embroidered portraits of Voroshilov, Molotov and Stalin.

Maria Filatova, one of the curators of the exhibition and a researcher at the State Museum of Oriental Art, describes the collection as follows:

"We have a very bright and dynamic exposition - a story about a certain epoch in which our countries were united and had a common path, about political ideas of building a new world and methods of visual propaganda in the Soviet period. We showed how the language of this propaganda was changing from decade to decade and how the cultural code, traditions, and culture of Azerbaijan influenced this political art in its basis.

The 1920s are the most avant-garde. During this period, no clichés or definite iconography of leaders' images had yet emerged. Artists could experiment by creating unexpected-even from a modern point of view-curious variants of carpets, embroideries and posters. Later, by the 1930s, the artistic rules became stricter; instead of three-dimensional texts often using Arabic script (even poems were printed in the posters), there were short, succinct slogans, and the plant and bird images were replaced by large human figures. The avant-garde was replaced by social realism. These are carpets created manually on machine tools using the best wool by the masters of the "Azerkhalcha" production association. Pictorial works of famous Azerbaijani artists were often used in carpet, and the carpets were of huge sizes. The work of the masters who wove these images in various shades of color and forms is admirable.

"Removal of the veil", cotton, embroidery with silk and gold threads, 74×93, The State Museum of Oriental Art

Embroidered panel "Removal of the veil", the 1920s, cotton, embroidery with silk and gold threads, 51×39, The State Museum of Oriental Art

Pile woolen carpet "Oil worker" (production of "Azerkhalcha", 1969, Wool, pile weaving, 316×211, Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum)

"Removal of the veil" shows an image of a freed woman with a red flag in her hands (Author: Gulbike Iskanderova, the end of the 1920s, the State Museum of Oriental Art). The design is traditional for Azerbaijani embroidery, with images of birds and plants, fine color solutions, and competently constructed composition-organically adjacent to the red flag, sickle, and hammer. The flag carries the image of a five-pointed star and crescent (often used in early propaganda images), and the crescent is also embroidered above the sickle and hammer. Traditional plant ornaments, elegantly made with silk and gold threads, are combined with the narrative of the actual plot/storyline. It depicts the emotional scene of a young girl's rejection of old life principles. One can only guess how the families of the female artisans who had actually woven the carpets treated this message. After all, the older generation-mothers and grandmothers-were just representatives of the old world. The purpose of these images is to convey important political ideas to the masses and to familiarize them with new social norms.

The poster "Life was slow in the East..." Unknown artist, 1920s, HOBR BakkavRost Publishing House, No information on circulation, Paper, Print. 71,2×51, Mardjani Foundation)

"Oil worker" is a handmade carpet. The carpet was made under the guidance of Latif Kerimov and is remarkable for its composition. The central field is fully occupied by a picturesque thematic composition depicting the builders of communism against the background of the industrial landscape of the capital of Azerbaijan. There are four main characters of the painting, three of which are probably a family: a man, obviously an oil worker; his wife, a woman holding a basket of cotton buds and who is likely a villager; and a child-pioneer. Next to them, however, stands a free woman-a woman who dropped her veil-an educated woman, perhaps an engineer herself. These are all heroes of the new era, transforming the world around them. The carpet is absolutely amazing and informative; it seems to contain all elements, attributes and symbols of Soviet Azerbaijan. We see crafts and industries characteristic to the Soviet republic and all its main attractions, leisure activities, and typical work routines. This carpet unfolds before us a broad picture of existence, revealing all conceivable facets of everyday life of its time. But the most amazing thing is the small edging of the carpet, in the ornament of which stretches a rhythmically organized oil pipeline! This is an early example of the perfect know-how of ornamental art and the best evidence that one can point to in order to show that the carpet at all times is a reflection of its era, absorbing the most characteristic aspects of the artistic style that time.

Images on Azerbaijani posters of the 1920s are largely reminiscent of textile panels. However, unlike the latter, the posters usually contained text, andthe text was often extensive in the early stages. In the sheet "Life in the East Was Slow...", printed in the Baku branch of the "ROSTA Windows" studio of "HOBR BakkavRost," the artist seems to be unfamiliar with Azerbaijani culture and created a syncretic image of an Eastern revolutionary, depicting a rider similar to a Turkish janissary, but under a red banner similar to the star and crescent moon, all against the background of the Egyptian pyramids. The picture illustrates an amateur poem by an unknown author:

Life was slow in the East,

Bourgeois, hiding behind the Book of the Prophet,

Deceived a downgraded people.

But the time has come, and the light shines

Like a five-pointed star,

There's a dashing cavalry
The author thanks Maria Filatova for the photos from the exhibition.

By Snejana Atanova
Ahead towards freedom with a battle song.

Snezhana Atanova is a PhD candidate at INALCO. Her thesis focuses on nationalism and cultural heritage in Central Asia. She recently finished an IFEAC fellowship devoted to national identity in everyday life in Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan. She was awarded a Carnegie fellowship in 2017, in which she explored national identity through the nation-branding initiatives of Russia and Central Asian countries. She earned a Master's in International Communication from the University of Strasbourg in 2012 and a Master's from the National Institute of Oriental Languages and Civilizations (INALCO) in 2015.

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Сarpet Propaganda: From Azerbaijan to Turkmenistan. The "Echo of Soviet Azerbaijan" Exhibition - Voices On Cental Asia

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The State Museum of Oriental Art of Russia, in cooperation with the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum (ANCM), is holding an exhibition called "Echo of Soviet Azerbaijan. Carpet. Embroidery. Poster." The main theme of the exhibition is the Soviet-era symbolism found in carpets and embroidery from 1920 to 1970.

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The State Museum of Oriental Art

Agitation posters were woven and became popular decorative elements on walls at home and in the office.

The oriental carpet is one of the most recognizable symbols of Soviet life. Every family dreamed of buying a genuine oriental carpet. People hung expensive wool canvases on walls that served not only as a decoration but which also gave additional warmth during the harsh winters.

Taking into account this popular sentiment, savvy Soviet authorities decided to use carpets as a propaganda tool. They ordered to weave and embroider the glorious moments of the Bolshevik Revolution, scenes depicting the successes of Soviet industries, and of course, portraits of the country's leaders.

While master weavers continued to create traditional carpets, they also made some unique items that combined oriental motifs and political agitation images in an unusual and interesting way. Here are some of the most interesting examples of exclusive carpets produced in the 1920-70s in the Azerbaijani Soviet republic.

1. 'Leader of the world revolution, Vladimir Lenin, and leader of the East, Nariman Narimanov,' carpet, 1920

Nariman Narimanov was an Azerbaijani Bolshevik and Lenin's comrade.

2. 'Portrait of Molotov,' embroidery, 1934-35

This portrait of the famous and long-term Soviet prime minister (Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the Soviet Union) was embroidered with silk yarn on this 71х61 cm red cotton canvas, along with a Soviet revolutionary slogan: "Workers of the world, unite!"

3. 'Oilman,' carpet, 1969

This huge 316 х 211 cm canvas reminds us of an Orthodox icon featuring the lives of the saints. Indeed, for the Soviet state the workers were true heroes and saints. So, in the central image we see an exemplary oilman with his family: his son is a pioneer, his daughter is a cotton picker and his wife is most likely an engineer. Oil industry landscapes are in the background, at a time when it was one of the most important and fastest growing industries in Soviet Azerbaijan.

In the frames of the carpet we see scenes of Azerbaijani life (just as in icons we would see the scenes of a saint's life): Cotton picking, fishing, sports, and other plots of happy Soviet life. Below you can see a fragment featuring a family at home.

4. 'The Stakhanovites,' carpet, 1937

In 1928, Stalin launched the first five-year plans for developing the national economy. The main goal was to develop very quickly. In 1935, miner Alexei Stakhanov was told to extract 102 tons of coal in the course of just one work shift (the norm was 7 tons). From that moment, the Stakhanovite movement appeared and workers from different industries exceeded the norms many times over. Soviet propaganda praised these shock workers who helped develop the national economy and they were awarded medals for their labor.

5. 'Laboratory,' carpet, 1969

The Soviets intended to eradicate illiteracy and make people study. So, they produced many posters and slogans saying that education is enlightenment and the most important thing for people of any age.

6. 'Sport,' carpet, 1969

A Soviet citizen had to be not only well educated and a good worker, but also have a healthy body (which is necessary for a healthy spirit, according to Soviet propaganda). Thus, promoting sports and physical culture was among the primary goals of communist agitation.
The exhibition 'Echo of Soviet Azerbaijan. Carpet. Embroidery. Poster' is open until March 1 in the State Museum of Oriental Art in Moscow, in collaboration with Azerbaijani Carpet Museum in Baku.
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How Soviet propaganda influenced traditional oriental carpets (PHOTOS)

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The State Museum of Oriental Art Agitation posters were woven and became popular decorative elements on walls at home and in the office. The oriental carpet is one of the most recognizable symbols of Soviet life. Every family dreamed of buying a genuine oriental carpet.

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Why do so many Russian homes have carpets all over their walls? Russia Beyond takes an in-depth look at one of the most intriguing Soviet traditions.

Do you know what really hits home with Russians when they watch the brilliant "The Big Lebowski" by the Coen brothers? It's the rug, the one "that really tied the room together."

Although the Dude uses it the proper way, covering the floor, its pattern strikingly resembles that of an old carpet hanging on the wall of a babushka's apartment. But again, why and what for?

Carpets invaded Russian apartments in the '60s, and the reasons for that were numerous. During the time of massive urbanization, millions of people were leaving their rural houses, dormitories and even barracks, and moving into newly-built city apartments in low-cost, concrete-paneled buildings. These buildings came to be known by the twisted name of khrushchyovki - because they were built during the time Nikita Khrushchev directed the Soviet government.

The apartments were very cold in winter ( the were concrete after all), so people began using wool carpets as means of heat insulation, especially in the northern regions and the Far East.

"We didn't care about how it looked," said Sergei, a blogger from Siberia. "But when it's -40 Fahrenheit outside, and a match lit near your living room's wall is starting to burn downwards because of the descending cold air current, it's better to use carpets than to catch cold while sleeping."

The walls of khrushchyovkas were not only cold, but also thin - so thin it was sometimes hard to fall asleep in the room while somebody was watching TV in the kitchen, not to mention the quarreling neighbors and their screaming children. So carpets also served as soundproof material.

And the last, but by no means the least, they are beautiful in their own way, especially those which were produced in the southern Soviet republics of Tadjikistan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan.

Naturally, the Muslim states of the Middle East were the ones that introduced carpets as decorations to medieval Europe. In Persia, wall carpets were considered true treasures because of the complexity of their production.

So in 16th century Europe, the carpets (received as gifts or bought in the East) became an indicator of high social status. The same is true for Russia, where tsars often received expensive carpets from eastern ambassadors. The walls, floor and ceiling of the bedroom of Tsar Alexis in the 17 th century were decorated with magnificent carpets and tapestries. This trend was picked up by the nobility and continued in the next century, when Peter the Great established the royal tapestry mill that produced gobelins to decorate royal estates. In the 19 th century, carpets began to appear in the homes of rich peasants and townsfolk who wanted to show that they were as wealthy as the nobility.

In Soviet times, carpets also were a sign of a well-to-do family, because it could be really expensive. With an average monthly salary of 120 rubles to 150 rubles, a carpet's cost varied from 125 rubles (in 1961) to 300 rubles to 500 rubles (in the 70s), but that's for the carpets made in the Soviet Unio; the prices for Chinese and Vietnamese carpets were really exorbitant, reaching up to 1,500 rubles.

But one couldn't just walk in a shop and buy a carpet - in those times, Soviet citizens had to "procure" () almost every expensive and beautiful piece of furniture and apartment decoration. The potential buyers' names were put on a special list in chronological order; usually people had to wait for a long time, up to a year, to purchase the long-desired carpet. The same was true for wardrobes, washing and meat-mincing machines, cupboards and sets of crystal crockery that inhabited these cupboards. But collected together, and topped with the inevitable seven marble statuettes of elephants, all these things formed a solid image of a well-off engineer's or a civil servant's city apartment. The wealthiest of them even bought carpets to cover the floor, which, too, could be very cold.

In the USSR, carpets became an essential item in everyday life. In fact a superstition connected to carpets states that "one should not nail the carpet to the wall, it may lead to a row in the family." This superstition is similar to the ancient Russian belief about salt, which says, "if you spill the salt, you'll get in a row with the one who saw you do it."

The key to both superstitions is the same - both salt and carpets used to be very expensive, so it's no wonder that spoiling them causes a row. As for the carpets, Russians usually hang them on the walls using small stitched threads.

Nowadays, young Russian designers, artists and eccentrics have renovated the trend for wall carpet and even devised a humorous title for it: "Its Royal Woolness." So maybe hanging one in your apartment isn't such a bad idea after all.

All rights reserved by Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

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Why do so many Russian homes have carpets all over their walls? Russia Beyond takes an in-depth look at one of the most intriguing Soviet traditions. Do you know what really hits home with Russians when they watch the brilliant "The Big Lebowski" by the Coen brothers?

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Russian State Museum of Oriental Art (Gosudarstvennyi Muzei Vostoka) has an extensive collection of Central Asian suzani-a type of richly embroidered textile that once served as wedding embroidery to protect the bride and groom from hostile forces, as well as attract good luck. The floral and vegetal patterns that young girls stitched on white canvas for their future dowries symbolized their hope for a new and better life of love and beauty.

Embroidery is one of the most ancient and revered forms of decorative art among the peoples of Central Asia. Especially prized was silk embroidery, which first appeared on the territory of modern Uzbekistan in the 4th - 5th centuries AD. Central Asian embroidery is first mentioned in the diary of the Castilian envoy Ruy Gonzalez de Clavijo, who visited the court of Timur in 1404. He was impressed by the emir's palaces, essentially tents made of and embroidered with silk, gold, and silver threads.

Author

The art of embroidery never ceased to exist, passed down by generations of hardworking needlewomen. By the 19th century, suzani (Tajik "needle-sewn," "needle-shaped")-large embroidered panels intended for the bride's dowry-became popular among the region's farmers, namely Tajiks and sedentary Uzbeks.

Photos from Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suzanidecor/

Suzani Wedding Decorations

Every family made embroidered covers and hangings before the wedding of their daughter. These varied in size and purpose: a large suzani might cover the newlyweds' bed or a wedding bedsheet, a smaller one might serve as a case for pillows, another might be used as a prayer rug or curtains for room niches. Beautiful embroidery in mesmerizing patterns was the prime decoration for the wedding ceremony and had deep symbolism in the newlyweds' room.

Unlike gold sewing, where all work was done by men, silk needlework was a women's craft. As soon as a girl was born, the mother began to collect her dowry, and later the grown-up daughter joined in the needlework, making large embroidered pieces and a variety of dresses and robes intended for her wedding celebration. The composition of the dowry changed depending on the locality and the wealth of the parents. If the family did not have time to prepare the necessary embroidery, the bride's mother could ask for the help of relatives, neighbors, or girlfriends at a chokduzon (literally "sewing tailor-made"), an event devoted to completing the work quickly together.

Suzani played an important role in the wedding ceremony: the bride could be wrapped in it or it could be held over her like a canopy while leading the groom to the house. The place where the bride was seated during the wedding was fenced off with a curtain-not a plain piece of textile but a rich suzani. The entire space where the celebration took place was hung with many embroideries and carpets. After the wedding, suzani remained the main decoration of the newlyweds' room. Embroidered covers and hangings decorated living rooms not only on holidays, but also on weekdays. They hung over wall niches to hide bedding items and the walls between them during the day. The wall opposite the windows was decorated with the largest hangings, sometimes combined with small ones.

Production

Until the end of the 19th century, embroiderers used silk threads colored with natural dyes, which gave them deep, soft, unique tones. Handmade white cotton fabric (karbos), woven from local threads, served as the base. The patterns were drawn by a specially invited draftswoman (kalamkash), a craft passed down from mother to daughter in a mandatory rite of passage. She would draw the contours of the ornamentation by hand with a sharpened reed pen ( kalam).

After the pattern was drawn on, the narrow strips of fabric would be embroidered separately. Only after the completion of the work were they sewn together into a single panel. Therefore, in finished products, the pattern at the seams often does not line up and the details are embroidered with threads of different shades, since different artisans did the embroidery.

Kalamkash had to memorize a large number of ornaments. Sketches and patterns were collected in albums. In the process, new versions of old patterns and compositions would be created. Some of them would become popular and fashionable. The most beloved and most frequently used of the traditional stitches were several varieties of one-sided stitching and chain stitch. The embroidery technique allowed the craftswomen to create textures that gave extraordinary artistic expression to every embroidered piece, from a luxurious cover to a modest skullcap.

The Collection

The Russian State Museum of Oriental Art has a significant collection of large wedding covers and hangings from the 19th and 20th centuries. The collection, numbering over 270 samples, includes ancient embroidery from all the key centers of this art form: Bukhara, Nurata, Shakhrisabz, Samarkand, Tashkent, and Khojent. The patterns of the suzani were predominantly floral/vegetal and often richly filled the entire visible surface of the fabric, which included a central field and a border.

The famous Bukhara embroidery was distinguished by its regal and amazing decoration-no wonder, as Bukhara was a wealthy city. The inner chambers of the houses of the aristocracy were also decorated with tiles and picturesque paintings on ganch, as well as magnificent Persian carpets, which were highly valued in local markets. Bukhara embroidery was no less luxurious.

The clearest example of this style is the pillow cover (takyapush) shown in Figure 1. Its most recognizable decorative features are luxurious and varied terracotta-crimson rosettes framed by graceful vegetation. Such rosettes are very typical of Bukhara. Bukhara suzani are breathtaking, with incredibly imaginative detail and decoration; compositions are often divided into concentric circles, sectors, stars, flowers and complex figures.

Figure 1. A cover for pillows and blankets (takyapush), Bukhara, Uzbekistan, mid-19th century, State Museum of Oriental Art

Suzani from Nurata (Figure 2), a large village on the border with the steppe that was part of the Bukhara Emirate, are also worthy of attention. In the 19th century, some of the best embroidery in the region came from Nurata. One of the main features of local covers is airy patterns, not overcrowded by dense decorations, with finely embroidered flower branches and bouquets. The sample below stands out for its beautifully balanced ornament that has become the hallmark of local embroidery: a flower star in the center and unusually lush, large bouquets-bushes in the corners of the field. This composition is known as chor shokh u yak moh ("four branches and one moon"). In addition to detailed floral and vegetal patterns, embroidered images of household items-namely, jugs hidden among the "rays" of the star and bouquets-catch the eye. The water jug ( aftoba) motif was a favorite one, symbolizing the purity and ritual ablutions prescribed by Islam, as well as life-giving fluids.

Figure 2. Suzani, Nurata, Uzbekistan, 19th century, State Museum of Oriental Art

Covers and hangings from Shakhrisabz, with their white background, were undoubtedly heavily influenced by the aforementioned two cities, replicating in many respects their patterns and motifs. Local craftswomen also preferred the motifs of rosettes, palmettes, and sometimes blooming bouquets. But Shakhrisabz embroideries had their own features too. On the suzani below (Figure 3), we see big, bright orange rosettes with a detailed core and palmettes framed by wide leafy rings. They decorate the entire space of the central field. The border that frames the pattern-known as chor-chirog ("a lamp with four wicks") is very typical of this city. This pattern undoubtedly goes back to Zoroastrianism, where the lamp symbolized a sacred fire. In folk art, it is the strongest amulet and symbolizes protection and purification. Indeed, in the wedding ceremony, it was fire that purified, dispersed the darkness, and guarded the newlyweds.

Figure 3. Suzani, Shakhrisabz, Uzbekistan, second half of 19th century, State Museum of Oriental Art

The pillow cover from Samarkand (Figure 4) clearly demonstrates the main stylistic features of this craft center. Unlike the suzani of Bukhara, Nurata, and Shakhrisabz, with their certain elitism, the embroidery of Samarkand gravitated more toward folk traditions. This was due to the difficult political and economic situation in Samarkand throughout the 18th century. The old artistic tradition was interrupted and a new one arose from scratch in the 19 th century, focusing on a wider stratum of the population and reflecting fairly mundane tastes. The style of Samarkand is a distinct and laconic pattern; there is no room for unnecessary details. As we can see, large round rosettes of a cold pomegranate-crimson hue framed by rather wide turquoise-green shoots are lined up both on the field and on the border in an ornament already familiar to us from Shakhrisabz: chor-chirog, which was also very popular in Samarkand. Thanks to precisely selected colors, the Samarkand craftswomen achieved a clear and articulate composition, even if the motifs themselves were nothing unusual and their drawing was somewhat angular. Nevertheless, this gave local embroidery its own unique look.

Figure 4. A cover for pillows (bolinpush), Samarkand, Uzbekistan, mid-second half of 19th century, State Museum of Oriental Art

Figure 5. Palak, Tashkent, Uzbekistan, second half of 19th century, State Museum of Oriental Art

Wedding suzani from Tashkent bore the local name palak (from the Arabic falak -"sky") and were known for their laconic geometric decor. Without a doubt, their decorative features are so unique that they immediately attract attention and stand out from all other artistic embroidery of Uzbekistan.

Huge dark red circles, called oy ("moon") densely fill the entire visible space of the central field, creating the main pattern of Tashkent embroidery. The palak showcased at the State Museum of Oriental Art (Figure 5), where non-ornamented rosettes are lined up in two rows, was the most popular type of local suzani in the 19th century. Such embroideries, with many rows of rosettes-circles, were known according to the number of such circles: palak with six moons, palak with twelve moons, etc.

The name palak ("sky" or "firmament") is quite telling. These large round rosettes were associated with the moon's femininity, but also with fire, stars, and the sun. Craftswomen believed that such ornaments would provide magical protection for newlyweds, as well as bestow good offspring on them, as the celestial bodies also possessed power over fertility.

Suzani from Khojent (Figure 6), a city located on the territory of Northern Tajikistan, are in terms of style and composition very close to the embroidery from Tashkent. This similarity is expressed in strict rows of rosettes-circles in a wide leafy frame. But on closer inspection, the distinctive features become more noticeable: a rosette-star in the center; large floral palmettes, very popular here; and a much greater variety of floral and vegetal forms. The main feature of these suzani is their color, a combination of a calm, cold burgundy-purple for the rosettes and black-dark blue for the palmettes of vegetal crowns.

As mentioned above, almost all of the presented suzani have vegetal ornaments. Their lush decor was undoubtedly associated in the minds of the craftswomen with the idea of the abundance of life and the splendor of nature, but it also expressed the folk idea of the Garden of Eden. But above all, these wedding embroideries were supposed to protect the bride and groom from hostile forces and attract good luck. Floral and vegetal patterns hid rich symbolic content: many of them were considered a sign of fertility or served as magical protection. Equally important was the white background of the suzani on which the ornaments were embroidered, because according to ancient tradition, white carried protection and ensured the future well-being of the young couple.

Figure 6. Suzani, Khujand, Northern Tajikistan, second half of 19th century, State Museum of Oriental Art

To complement the patterns, which were filled with ancient magic, craftswomen tried to increase the magical power of embroidery in other ways. Often, the finished suzani had misshapen contours or blank spaces, as though someone had accidentally forgotten to embroider there. But the astucious craftswomen deliberately made this "mistake" to protect against the evil eye. In any case, in the 19th and early 20th centuries, suzani were a necessary component of the life of any woman. Weddings and holidays could not be held without them and it was impossible to imagine decorating a living room without them.

All photos by
Russian State Museum of Oriental Art

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The Love and Beauty of Wedding Suzani from the Collection of the Russian State Museum of Oriental Art - Voices On Cental Asia

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Russian State Museum of Oriental Art (Gosudarstvennyi Muzei Vostoka ) has an extensive collection of Central Asian suzani -a type of richly embroidered textile that once served as wedding embroidery to protect the bride and groom from hostile forces, as well as attract good luck.

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types of carpet images
In addition to general groups, patterns are divided into specific types, which can be noticed if you look closely at the carpet. The most popular of them are:

1. Medallions - symbols located in the center of the canvas, around which the whole drawing is built. They usually consist of many small elements, and the medallion itself can be round, diamond-shaped or oval. Such patterns are typical for Chinese, Iranian, domestic paintings.
2. Hashti - staggered patterns. Typically, the carpet depicts squares in which there are certain plant or symbolic designs. Similar images are typical for carpets from Iran.
3. Mihrab - a pattern in the form of a mosque niche, symbolizing the gates of paradise. There is no symmetry here, but the composition is clearly expressed. Such drawings are a feature of Turkish paintings.
4. Avshan - a repeating pattern over the entire surface of the carpet. There is no centering or highlighted elements.

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IS A CARPET AN ATTRIBUTE OF A PHILISTINE HOUSEHOLD, OR A WORK OF ART? IS IT JUST AN ITEM, OR IS IT A KEY TO NATIONAL AND CULTURAL TRADITIONS?

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In the Soviet era a carpet was a sign of wealth and affluence, a "must have" thing, a sought after luxury item that was in scarce supply, just as Yugoslavian wall cabinet or East German porcelain dinner service. For many our contemporaries this object of interior design still remains a...

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https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-big-lebowski-20-coen-brothers-classic-comedy/

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Where did the tradition of hanging carpet on the wall come from? 

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Where did the tradition of hanging carpet on the wall come from? 

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Это уже целое направление в интернет-юморе: фото с ковром на стене. Это кажется смешным и нелепым сейчас.

Кто-то из болтливых российских сатириков бросил однажды обидную фразу: дескать, во всем мире ковры кладут на пол, чтобы было комфортно ходить по дому, и только русские вешают их на стены, чтобы показывать гостям вместо картин. На самом деле это, конечно, не так: и за границей любят увешивать стены коврами, и у нас уважают ходить босиком по теплому ковру.

Но все же как могли появиться в СССР ковры на стенах?

Традиция вешать ковры в СССР на стену пришла к нам из царской России. Ковры дворяне и помещики вешали на стену, чтобы отдать дань турецкой моде. Вешался ковер, на него две скрещенных янычарских сабли, пистолеты или ружье. Все дело в том, что еще издавна ковры в жизни армян занимали то же место, что сегодня иконы у православных. Т.е. ковры первоначально вешали только на стены, стелить ковер на стол или на пол не разрешался, для этого существовали своего рода половики. Одним словом, ковры, включающие в себе множество знаков, имеют некий религиозный, а может и энергетический, символ. Вероятнее всего, наши предки считали, что повешенный на стену в доме ковер с сакральными знаками защищал семью, даровал успех и благоденствие.

Посмотрите картины русских художников, жанровые сцены, описывающие быт помещиков. Ковры на стенах - нередкое явление. Также почитайте Пушкина, Лермонтова. Описывая быт офицеров-дворян, здесь частенько можно встретить описание комнаты, где висит персидский ковер. Особенно тех, офицеров, что побывали на Кавказе. Тогда это недоумения ни у кого не вызывало....

Обычай застилать полы коврами, а также вешать ковры на стену характерен для многих народов. Историк Н. И. Костомаров писал, что у русских в ХVI и ХVII столетиях в домашнем устройстве "...был обычай укрывать и покрывать. В порядочном доме полы были покрыты коврами, у менее зажиточных - рогожами и войлоками. В сенях у дверей лежала непременно рогожа или войлок для обтирания ног...". Первые заграничные ковры стали прибывать в Россию с развитием купечества и торговли в ХVI-ХVII веках. В ХVIII веке на Петербургской шпалерной мануфактуре, основанной в 1717 году, был налажен выпуск отечественных шпалер. К началу ХIХ века ковры стали неотъемлемой частью изысканного дворцового интерьера.

Турецкий ковер и сейчас представляет собой настоящее произведение искусства. Повесить такую роскошь на стену - почему бы и нет? Вешаем же мы на стену всякие картины из бисера, вышивки, панно...

При СССР ряд признаков "роскошной" жизни переняли и массы. В деревнях ковров не было, но были разные такие типа коврики с изображением оленей, цариц, гор...

Когда народ стал побогаче, стали покупать настоящие ковры. Развешивая ковры, люди значительно уменьшали распространение звука и делали стены теплее.

Вот еще некоторые интересные вопросы и ответы на них: вот например вы знаете Почему так рисуют СЕРДЦЕ? и Едят ли ежи яблоки с грибами? Может быть вы думаете, что Кошки видят в темноте, как днем? или не знаете Почему в России - царь, а в Европе - король?. Вот уверен, что вы не знаете кто совершил первое кругосветное путешествие и Почему у дятла не болит голова ?

Оригинал статьи находится на сайте ИнфоГлаз.рф Ссылка на статью, с которой сделана эта копия - http://infoglaz.ru/?p=88206

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Откуда пошла традиция вешать ковер на стену?

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Это уже целое направление в интернет-юморе: фото с ковром на стене. Это кажется смешным и нелепым сейчас. Кто-то из болтливых российских сатириков бросил однажды обидную фразу: дескать, во всем мире ковры кладут на пол, чтобы было комфортно ходить по дому, и только русские вешают их на стены, чтобы...

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Why did they hang carpets on the wall before? 

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Why did they hang carpets on the wall before? 

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Почему они так ценились?

У многих народов ковры с различными символами несут религиозный и энергетический подтекст. Особенно ими славится Турция - ковроткачество является древним ремеслом и играет важную роль в культурном наследии страны.

В Европе первые ковровые изделия стали появляться в XVI веке и позволить их себе могли только особы королевских кровей. А в России любовь к коврам возникла во времена Петра I, когда активно развивалась торговля с другими государствами.

В Советском Союзе качественный ковёр считался символом престижа. Изделия привозили из Азербайджана, Грузии и Туркменистана, за ними выстраивались очереди, их выписывали по блату и приобретали у перекупов - любовь к красивым полотнам в СССР трудно было переоценить.

Демонстрация вкуса и достатка

Ковры в СССР приобретались надолго, передавались из поколения в поколение и служили прекрасным подарком. В эпоху дефицита это особенно ценилось. Наличие ковра считалось одним из способов похвастаться своим состоянием, а порой и связями. Но большинству граждан для его приобретения приходилось копить несколько месяцев.

Ближе к концу XX века изделия продавались уже без очередей и записи - купить их можно было в обычном мебельном магазине, но для этого, при зарплате 130 рублей, нужно было откладывать по 50 рублей около полугода.

Вместо картины

Яркие ковры с растительными орнаментами ценились за свою декоративность. Занимая немалую часть стены, они сразу становились главной изюминкой интерьера. Этому способствовала и насыщенная расцветка: наиболее распространёнными считались красные оттенки.

Также ковёр спасал владельцев квартиры от ремонта: любое повреждение (выцветшие обои, трещины или пятна на стене) можно было скрыть живописным полотном с узорами. Кто догадается, что за ним дефект?

Поддержание моды

В Советском Союзе ковры стали популярными не только из-за своих эстетических функций. Впервые попав в дом к человеку, украсившему ими свою стену, гость испытывал настоящее восхищение - полотно выглядело богато и оригинально.

Многие жители страны стремились заполучить такое же роскошное изделие, чтобы было "как у людей".

Создание уюта

Настенный ковёр удивительным образом преображал комнату. Рассматривать мягкое и красивое полотно с растительным орнаментом было гораздо приятнее, чем пустые стены. А поскольку оно чаще всего вешалось возле кровати или дивана, большинство советских детей с удовольствием засыпали за разглядыванием замысловатых узоров и до сих пор вспоминают это с чувством ностальгии.

Настенные ковры обладали высочайшим качеством: сделанные из натуральной шерсти, они не выцветали и не стаптывались благодаря своему особому местоположению. Правда, изделия накапливали пыль и требовали периодической чистки.

В качестве утеплителя

Толстые и тёплые советские ковры в тонкостенных хрущёвках выступали защитой от холода, особенно если кровать стояла возле "уличной" или подъездной стены. Они не только сохраняли тепло, но и минимизировали уровень шума. Ворсистая поверхность хорошо поглощала звуки, идущие от соседей, и защищала приватность самих владельцев.

По этим же причинам ковёр до сих пор украшает стены многих квартир: это самый простой способ звукоизолировать комнату, не тратясь на дорогой ремонт.

В современном интерьере

Сегодня ковры уже не являются символом престижа, к тому же нынешнее поколение не испытывает столь сильной потребности в демонстрации своего благосостояния. Главная задача современного интерьера - отразить характер своего владельца, оставшись функциональным и гармоничным. Именно поэтому качественные и отлично сохранившиеся советские изделия снимают со стен, относят в химчистку и кладут на пол.

Ковры великолепно смотрятся в скандинавском стиле, эклектике и даже лофте. Но мода циклична, поэтому всё большую популярность приобретают и настенные ковры - правда, не советские, а дизайнерские или в виде гобеленов.

В Советском Союзе красочные тканые полотна, размещённые на стене, стали настоящим символом эпохи. Как видим, существовало множество весомых причин, чтобы располагать их столь нетрадиционным способом.

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Дарья Воробьева

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Почему раньше вешали ковры на стену?

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У многих народов ковры с различными символами несут религиозный и энергетический подтекст. Особенно ими славится Турция - ковроткачество является древним ремеслом и играет важную роль в культурном наследии страны. В Европе первые ковровые изделия стали появляться в XVI веке и позволить их себе могли только особы королевских кровей.

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https://design-homes.ru/idei-dlya-doma/zachem-veshali-kovry-na-stenu

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‘Leader of the world revolution, Vladimir Lenin, and leader of the East, Nariman Narimanov,’ carpet, 1920

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‘Leader of the world revolution, Vladimir Lenin, and leader of the East, Nariman Narimanov,’ carpet, 1920

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Agitation posters were woven and became popular decorative elements on walls at home and in the office.

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Then I thought about the carpet from USSR, and realize that I have a lot of question. Why, where and what?

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Gans Gol'beyn Mladshiy. Portret korolya Genrikha VIII

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Gans Gol'beyn Mladshiy. Portret korolya Genrikha VIII

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It all started with the exhibition “The Age of Rembrandt and Vermeer. Masterpieces of the Leiden collection ”, in which I examined the masterpieces of Dutch painting of the 17th century. During the process, I noticed that often in their work there are carpets, but at the same time there are practically no carpets on the floor - they are located on tables, proudly hung out of windows or fall down in heavy folds from somewhere above, like a curtain.

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Интернет-магазин Kover.ru

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Совсем недавно в ГМИИ имени А.С. Пушкина прошла выставка "Эпоха Рембрандта и Вермеера. Шедевры Лейденской коллекции", на которой зрители смогли познакомиться с шедеврами голландской живописи XVII века.

Прогуливаясь рядом с работами Рембрандта Харменса ван Рейна, Яна Вермеера, Франса Халса, Габриэля Метсю, Каспара Нетшера и других художников, Вы могли заметить, что в их работах ковры встречаются достаточно часто. При этом на полу ковров практически нет - они располагаются на столах, горделиво вывешиваются из окон или ниспадают тяжелыми складками откуда-то сверху, подобно занавесу. Такое расположение ковров может вызвать недоумение. Давайте разберемся, что именно означал ковер в Голландии XVII века и почему его так любили изображать художники.

Ганс Гольбейн Младший. Портрет короля Генриха VIII

На Востоке искусство ковроткачества существовало на протяжении сотен лет. Персидские и турецкие мастера без преувеличения достигли совершенства в своем деле, тогда как в Европе мастерских по производству ковров не было, соответственно и ковроткачество находилось в зачаточном состоянии. В XVI веке в Европе стали появляться самые первые восточные ковры. Закупать ковры в далеких экзотических странах и перевозить их морем было опасно: стоили они дорого, требовали определенных условий содержания, по дороге судно могло затонуть, попасться пиратам, или просто разбойникам, жаждущим легкой наживы. Поэтому те ковры, которые все же попадали в Европу, стоили баснословных денег. Изначально их могли себе позволить только особы королевских кровей. Например, известным коллекционером ковров был Генрих VIII. К сожалению, подавляющее большинство ковров той эпохи не сохранилось из-за неподходящих условий содержания - они были уничтожены замковой сыростью, а то и пожарами, которые в ту эпоху были не редкостью. Поэтому, когда ученые в конце XIX века стали интересоваться коврами и пытаться их типологизировать, они обратились за сведениями к художественным произведениям. Так и появились названия вроде "ковер Гольбейна" или "ковер Лотто" - разумеется, художники не ткали эти ковры, но только благодаря им мы сейчас можем представить себе, какие орнаменты украшали ковры 400 лет назад.

Лоренцо Лотто. Портрет Джованни делла Вольта с женой и детьми. Этот тип турецкого ковра с геометризированными золотисто-желтыми узорами на алом поле носит название "ковер Лотто".

Турецкий ковер "Ушак", называемый также "ковер Лотто"

Ближе к XVII веку ковры стали немного доступнее - они появились не только во дворцах, но и в простых домах состоятельных людей. Тем не менее, ковер по-прежнему оставался символом богатства и благородства. В картинах любая деталь не случайна, поэтому ковер также очень многое сообщает о благосостоянии и эстетическом вкусе человека, изображенного на картине. В голландской живописи Золотого века ковры были широко представлены в портретах богатых торговцев и чиновников, в жанровой живописи, в картинах интерьеров домов голландских бюргеров, в картинах с мифологическими сюжетами и в ряде натюрмортов. Для художника ковер был очень значим: он является яркой и выразительной деталью, делающей общий колорит гораздо более живописным и привлекательным, а также наделяет образ портретируемого дополнительными символическими значениями. Ковры из сферы парадного портрета переходят в область повседневного реалистичного жанра и различных аллегорических сюжетов.

Габриэль Метсю. Мужчина, пишущий письмо

Ковер как деталь интерьера в Нидерландах (и, в частности, в Голландии) прижился именно как покрытие стола. В то время господствовала протестантская этика, проповедовавшая сдержанность и бережливость, поэтому, хотя ковры и стали более доступны по цене, но все равно они стоили слишком дорого, чтобы все спокойно могли прогуливаться по чему-то столь ценному. Лишь в конце XVIII столетия ковры начали расточительно стелить на пол, что связано с большим потоком более дешевых изделий из Индии и развитием ткацких мастерских в Европе.

Ковер на столе делал аскетичный интерьер красочным и придавал ему "весомости" - входящему сразу было понятно, что он находится в доме человека с достатком. Настоящий персидский или турецкий ковер моментально притягивал к себе взгляд и вызывал заслуженное уважение. Художникам часто требовалась эта деталь для картины, поэтому часто один и тот же ковер мы можем увидеть на разных картинах разных художников. Секрет в том, что гильдия живописцев, скорее всего, владела несколькими коврами и сдавала их в аренду членам гильдии. Без этой детали практически невозможно представить себе классический голландский интерьер, что отражено, например, в фильмах, описывающих события той эпохи.

Кадр из фильма "Девушка с жемчужной сережкой" Питера Веббера.

Кадр из фильма "Рембрандт: я обвиняю" Питера Гринуэя.

Хотя тенденция застилать стол ковром кажется уже давно ушедшей в прошлое, иногда столы декорируются коврами и в современных Нидерландах. Особенно часто такую деталь можно встретить в традиционных ресторанах.

Ковры всегда связывались с праздничностью, с неким торжественным событием. В древности ковры было принято вывешивать на заборы или на ворота, когда в доме готовились к свадьбе или праздновали рождение ребенка. Ковры были неотъемлемым атрибутом в том числе и церковных праздников - эта традиция до сих пор существует. Балкон, на котором выступает Папа Римский, традиционно украшается ковром.

Традиционная воскресная месса Папы Бенедикта XVI

Ковер на балконе призван привлекать внимание, поэтому в живописи он может быть, например, знаком того, что юная барышня жаждет произвести впечатление на кавалеров.

Каспар Нетшер. Леди с попугаем и джентльмен с обезьяной

Таким образом, ковер оказался "вплетен" в европейские традиции, он вмещает в себе множество значений. Поэтому в картинах ковер играет очень важную роль - не только как яркий акцент и вызов художественному мастерству, но и как сложный социальный символ.

Можно сказать, что ковры делают картины голландских живописцев более выразительными, насыщенными, помогают правильно расставить акценты - то есть, сделать все то, что и мы сегодня пытаемся воплотить в современных интерьерах. Ковер, безусловно, поможет Вам в создании по-настоящему живописного интерьера, который сам по себе может стать произведением искусства.

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Секрет живописности голландских интерьеров - читайте в Блоге на kover.ru

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Совсем недавно в ГМИИ имени А.С. Пушкина прошла выставка "Эпоха Рембрандта и Вермеера. Шедевры Лейденской коллекции", на которой зрители смогли познакомиться с шедеврами голландской живописи XVII века. Прогуливаясь рядом с работами Рембрандта Харменса ван Рейна, Яна Вермеера, Франса Халса, Габриэля Метсю, Каспара Нетшера и других художников, Вы могли заметить, что в их работах ковры встречаются достаточно часто.

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Why do so many Russian homes have carpets all over their walls? Russia Beyond takes an in-depth look at one of the most intriguing Soviet traditions.

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Why do so many Russian homes have carpets all over their walls? Russia Beyond takes an in-depth look at one of the most intriguing Soviet traditions.

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I always was confused and at the same time interested about that weird Russian tradition, so why not to explore it and learned about. Also there's a lot of exhibition based on carpet manipulation.