This 17th Century Classical Oushak carpet design is an superb example of the best-known group of classical Ottoman workshop weavers. In the 16th century, carpet weaving was revered as one of the highest forms of art by the Turkish court. Weavers of that time had tremendous resources at their disposal in creating objects of the utmost beauty. These carpets are made to reflect the power and refinement of the Ottoman Empire. Turkish design traditions, dictated that all designs were endless in the eyes of God, and that an artist was only able to capture a small portion of any given design for earthly representation by confining the repeat within a border. The power of these carpets was appreciated by the rulers of the East as well as by the noble, aristocratic and richer classes of Europe. Beginning in the early 16th century, Oushak Medallion carpets were featured in European portraits to signify the wealth, stature and taste of the sitter. One of the most famous of these early depictions is a posthumous portrait of Henry VIII and his family attributed to Lucas de Heere, circa 1570.
