Perhaps the most important feature of a carpet is its design. More intricate designs involve greater workmanship both on the part of the artist and the weaver and therefore have a direct impact on the
value of the piece.
Geometric
Designs
Geometric
designs
are made up of repeated vertical, horizontal and diagonal
lines. These carpets are usually woven by nomadic tribes
using certain traditional and cultural symbols as motifs.
Given the relative simplicity of the design, tribal
pieces tend to be less sophisticated in terms of the
required technical know-how. Consequently, these carpets
usually lack full symmetry and colour consistency giving
them a 'primal' quality and making them less expensive.
Curvilinear
and Floral Designs
Most
of the elements in the curvilinear
and floral designs
have meaning that reflects their close affinity with
nature which is why small plants, flowers or delicate
animals, can be seen in almost all carpets. The most
common motif is the central medallion. When evaluating
curvilinear and floral designs, the composition, detailing
and symmetry are factors to consider.
Pictorial
Design
Perhaps
the rarest of Persian rug styles is the pictorial
design.
This type of pattern doesn't follow a standard outline
and each rug is unique in its details. The weaving of
a pictorial rug demands much more skill from the weaver
because unlike curves, circles, or repetitive floral
elements, it is more difficult to weave details and
smaller elements that require great accuracy.
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