Carpet, medallion design
Date18th or 19th century
OriginAsia, Turkey, Ushak
MediumWool pile, natural wool warps, pink wool wefts.
DimensionsOW: 72"; OL: 120"
Credit LineMuseum Purchase
Object number1958-261
DescriptionMedallion design carpet. Ghiordes knot; approximately 48 knots per square inch' two shoots of red wool weft after each row of knots. Colors: field-red, medallion-dark blue, border-dark blue, outer guard-red, innnerguard band-light blue. Pattern: white, yellow, light blue, dark blue, green, black-brown. The field has an oval medallion with an attached pendant at each end, both filled with arabesque scrolls bearing half palmettes and interlacing floral scrolls. In each corner of the field is a section of medallions. The rest of the field is decorated with an all-over pattern of floral scrolls bearing four large leafy palmettes and many other smaller palmettes. The border has floral scrolls with large plamettes alternating with stems bearing lotus palmettes, buds, & leaves. In the inner guard band is a wavy geometric scroll: in the outer guard band a series of stylized leaves and spiral scrolls.Construction History
18th or 19th century: Initial construction
1958: Lining added by Beshir Galleries (New York, NY)
Dates unknown: Selvedges overcast, mixed-fiber fringe added, repairedLabel TextKnown today as "medallion Ushak," this carpet's traditional design consists of a large central medallion and corner segments on a ground of floral vine tracery. Such carpets remained popular with Europeans through most of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and the techniques used to produce them changed little.Inscription(s)NoneMark(s)NoneProvenancePrior to 1958, Beshir Galleries (New York, NY); 1958-present, purchased by The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation (Williamsburg, VA)
18th century, possibly
20th century
18th century
17th century
Probably 19th or 20th c.
20th century (probably)
17th century (probably)
18th c.
Probably 17th century
17th or 18th c.
17th century