SHAH ABBASI RUG
Kirman Rug: Portrait of Shah Abbas
Abbas the great may be the most celebrated Safavid Shah and one of the most significant Persian Shahs in the Iranian late history and also a well-remembered fairy king in folkloric tales and songs. Enthroned in Isfahan he put an end on Ottomans’ encroaching and kicked the Portuguese invaders out of the Persian Gulf, tying his name with the climax of the Safavid Peace.
“Abbas King of Persia”, as seen by Thomas Herbert in 1627
Not only on water and earth, he was also a triumphant figure in arts’ patronage, mostly in architecture and handy-crafts, putting his name as well as his artistic taste on some aspects of the Persian visual arts.
Canvas by Carlo and Gabriele Caliari in the Doge’s Palace in Venice depicting doge Marino Grimani receiving the Persian ambassadors, 1603
In his royal weaving workshops a variety of floral motifs have been derived from architectural decorations into curvilinear rug design, being termed as Shah Abbasis, most famously the ancient motif of Goljam an example of which named Laleh Abbasi woven almost everywhere in Persia.
Shah Abbasi Flowers
An example of a Shah Abbas flower
An Isfahan Rug with Shah Abbasi Flowers, Mid-17th Century
