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The Silk Medallion design is adapted from a rug that belongs to a group of small Safavid silk rugs united by their clarity of design, delicate patterns, precise draftsmanship, weave structure, and size. Scholars have generally agreed that the silk carpets and rugs in this group were made in Kashan, an important Persian mercantile center for silk products, during the second half of the sixteenth century. The superb quality of this rug and its lavish materials indicate that it was produced in a royal workshop. Its complex designs suggest that painters, presumably miniaturists from royal ateliers, directed the artisans who made them. The use of pure silk pile created a richer surface sheen and more luminous coloring than wool, and the high density of knotting required to work with the material resulted in unusually refined detail. Although the precise function of the small silk Kashans is unknown, it is doubtful that they were ever intended as floor coverings and may have been bestowed as imperial gifts. MATCHING COASTERRUG ALSO AVAILABLE!
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