20th Century Understated Anatolian Carpet

20th Century Anatolian carpet made in Anatolia, the western region of Turkey, which has a long-standing rug-weaving tradition, dating at least as far back as the 13th Century. 

As the explorer Marco Polo once wrote, ‘Here they make the most beautiful silks and carpets, and in the most beautiful colours.’ 

It is these carpets, among the first to reach the European market in the Early Modern era, that can be spotted in many of the paintings of the Old Masters, including those of Holbein, Vermeer, and Reubens. 

This interesting early example features a soft, earthy tone ground, with an all-over monochrome drawing in cornflower blue - the vegetable dyes used in its design have all taken on a charming patina with age, and lend the work a sense of understated elegance. 

Retained in very good condition for everyday use, with its outer borders preserved on all sides. 

A charming Anatolian carpet, to suit either a classic or contemporary space.