Antique Abstract Modernist Sofreh Kilim
N°
00342
Period
Circa 1940
Origin
Karadagh Area, Northwest Persia
Materials
Wool
Status
Available
Size
140 cm x 115 cm4'7" x 3'9"
Sofreh flat-weaves are among the most prized possessions among the material culture of near eastern tribal people. These are employed as presentation textiles for food offerings when prestigious guests are visiting the tent. This graphic Kurdish sofreh is characterized by a central totemic element flanked by two vertical zig-zag elements in green on a rich red open field background. The distinguishing feature of this sofreh is the painterly quality of the design, which appear as brushstrokes of paint. The abstract modernity of certain types of tribal rugs are an indication of the Primitive ancestry that is behind tribal textile art, it being at the root of modern and contemporary art as well.