Kaschmir

A pure silk medallion carpet of palatial size and regal splendour, in which delicacy of colour and the glistening iridescence of the silk pile combine to form a masterwork of unparalleled beauty and luxury. The sweeping central field area comprises a regular lattice arrangement forming a series of rectangular compartments, each of which displays an inner arched mihrab prayer composition, these embellished with meticulously detailed and exquisitely coloured floral and foliate clusters and ornamental floral shrubs that are intended as stylised renditions of the sacred Tree-of-Life form, symbol of Paradise and Eternity. This renowned composition is usually considered to be an idealised representation of the Garden of Paradise, belonging to the ancient heritage of the great Persian Court Garden Carpets from the 16th Century Safavid dynasty, yet also an intrinsic icon of the comparably magnificent and accomplished aesthetic and decorative tradition of the noble Mughal dynasty of Indian Emperors, under whom the art of Srinagar carpet knotting first gained world-wide renown and distinction. A superb border design admirably complements the resplendent beauty and delicate chromatic harmonies of the majestic field, these two primary compositional elements achieving a perfect visual balance which imbues a work of such noble dimensions with an inner unity that is a central aspect of its overall achievement. The quality of finest Himalayan silk employed throughout this stunning creation of the weaver's art is of the most precious and iridescent calibre, and the combination of pile fibre of such luminous beauty with the delicate airiness of colour, regal splendour of design and spectacular size and scale of the work leaves an unforgettable impression of ultimate luxury and grandeur in the mind of the discerning viewer. Very rarely will a silk master carpet of such uncompromising splendour be encountered, representing as it does a level of craftsmanship and huge financial and physical undertaking that will increasingly become untenable under prevailing global conditions.