Large Antique Turkish Usak Rug, 17th Century – This sublime antique 17th century Usak carpet showcases a fantastic Piece of art by octofoil stars. The lavish shield-like medallions Shows smooth curving quatrefoils, turtle-like pendants and lush emerald green swaths that are surrounded by protective latched . These distinctive Persianate medallions were adapted long ago and in Turkish as far back as the Renaissance. These precisely aligned medallions illustrate the principle of infinite rapport with precise lines of double symmetry. This richly colored carpet displays a vibrant red ground adorned with intricate blue scrolls. The wide, monumentally long field is enclosed by elaborate borders that display wild color variations and floral motifs accompanied by tribal lozenges. Worthy of a prized collection, this antique Usak rug is a stylistic forerunner that hints at the long history of this beloved art form. Usak rugs are known for the silky, luminous wool they work with. The dyes tend towards: cinnamon’s, terracotta tints, gold, blues, greens, ivory, saffron and grays.
17th Century Usak Rug
17th Century Usak Rug
The late 19th century weavers came from villages outside of Usak and employed tribal techniques. Paramount to these techniques was the use of larger knots sometimes less than 30 knots per square inch and an all-wool foundation. The tribal style fused with the older Usak designs. The merger of the two styles created a new style simply known as late 19th/early 20th century usak carpets. The new decorative usak, commercially woven, employed a soft red, as its primary color offsetting the large-scale floral motifs from the field in a bright blue. The luxurious quality of the wool (for which usaks had always been known) aided the colors luminosity.
