Serapi 1890
Serapi, 1890 SERAPI PASTEL MASTERPIECE
12 ft 6 inches by 10 ft 2 inches
Acquired recently from a Hollywood estate.
Serapi large format carpets were produced in the wider Hamadan, Persia region from around 1850 until the turn of the 20th century. Their quality weave and striking designs have made them increasingly in recent decades amongst the most sought-after types, with the finest examples achieving $60-70,000 in the US market, on occasion more. Serapis evolved in one sense from earlier (and contemporaneous) Bakyaesh designs and also were influenced to a degree by large format Heriz carpets to ultimately possess their own very distinct and recognizable pattern language—yet each is an original.
The name Serapi does not relate to a specific tribe, village, or town location. It is based on the Arab word Serab, for “ a place “ and was popularized by western carpet merchants . More accurately it was a style which captivated weavers across the region, for a period. Sadly like so many “movements “or “schools“ in 19th century carpet weaving it simply declined, as styles do.
This circa 1890 example is of particular interest and beauty for its singular use of light pastel colours, particularly the light golden wheat tones, offset by a rare French sky blue and the treasured deep eggplant. This designer / weaver in one had a particularly fine sense of the colour palette employed-- and its relation to the overall drawing.
The central medallion is a cerulean blue which pushes the design outward into the powerful secondary red medallion, which features an unusual and balanced use of ivory colouring to accentuate some clever motifs.
There is an airy, pleasant sense of movement within the composition, a dynamism. Entirely within the Serapi “school”, it is nevertheless an original, as were virtually all of these pieces. Please examine the intricacy of the border figures, with their etched, crystal-clear definition.
The result is a carpet which can lift an entire room, define and energize it – in excellent condition – which will endure moderate – high use for a long generation or more. Moreover, it is of investment calibre.
$38,000
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