Description:

A rare and important example for the legendary master weaver of Kashan, this carpet exemplifies the refinement and poetics of Mohtasham's workshop. Featuring a richly ornamented medallion composition, it combines a luminous ivory field with deep indigo, saturated carnelian reds, and delicate pastel blues-a palette harmonized with extraordinary finesse. The wool is of exceptional quality, soft and lustrous, knotted with care to form a dynamic visual rhythm of blossoms, vines, and arabesques. This is one of the finest examples of the Mohtasham tradition-distinguished by its color mastery, scale, and condition. Produced circa late 19th century, it reflects the pinnacle of Persian courtly aesthetics. Remarkably, it remains in very good condition, with no visible repair, and retains its original spirit and vibrancy. Origin: Kashan, Iran Material: Very fine wool on cotton foundation Dimensions: Length 335 cm / Width 225 cm Knot Density: Approx. 500,000 knots per m² Condition: Very good, no repair

  • Dimensions: Length 335 cm / Width 225 cm
  • Literature: Regarded as the crown jewel of 19th-century Persian weaving, Mohtasham Kashan carpets embody a moment of pure artistic virtuosity. Named after the revered master weaver Hadji Mollah Mohammad Hassan Kashan "Mohtasham" (active circa 1850 - 1890), these carpets were born in the central Persian city of Kashan, a historical hub of elite craftsmanship and Safavid legacy. The Mohtasham workshop elevated Persian rug-making to its zenith. These carpets are instantly recognized for their use of hand-spun, lanolin-rich lamb's wool, their luminous, silken pile, and knot densities reaching an astonishing 350 to 500 knots per square inch - an almost inconceivable feat of manual precision before the invention of steel looms. Each square inch contains hundreds of minuscule, hand-tied knots, producing a design clarity often compared to ink drawing or miniature painting. In the words of one collector "Each of my Mohtashams is a world unto itself - a world I study endlessly ". Designs vary from royal garden scenes to lyrical spirals, from soaring medallions to blossoming arabesques, all orchestrated with a musician's sense of rhythm and scale. The carpets are alive with peonies and clematis, perched birds and poetic symmetry, often outlined with pen-thin black curves - a technique known as "drawing" for how it mimics fine linework. Their colors, dyed from natural sources by masters akin to chemists, span celadons, flesh-toned apricots, pale turquoises, and powder blues achieved by layering plant dyes - and often incorporate abrash, soft striations that add movement and depth to the composition. Few artworks in any medium offer the tactile beauty and emotional resonance of a Mohtasham. {Only poets could have designed it... and only angels could have woven it,} wrote art historian Mercedes Palau-Ribes after encountering one. Today, these carpets are sought after not only as museum-grade collectables but as artistic investments - works that transcend utility and speak across centuries. Whether signed or not - as many were left anonymous out of spiritual humility - each Mohtasham carpet is a living echo of Persia's golden age of weaving. They do not simply decorate a space - they transform it.
  • Medium: Very fine wool on cotton foundation
  • Circa: 19th century
  • Condition: Very good, no repair

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May 26, 2025 7:30 PM AST
Doha, Qatar

Albahie Auction House

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