1985.R.101, Rug, c. 1550-1625, Ushak, Western Turkey | DMA Staging Content Management System

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Turkey has had an important weaving industry for centuries. In the 13th century, Marco Polo traveled through the region and praised its rugs as the most beautiful in the world. By the 15th century, traders were importing Turkish rugs into Europe, where they were extremely expensive and valued as symbols of high rank. For example, Turkish rugs are often depicted in 15th- and 16th- century Italian religious paintings of the enthroned Virgin and Child. In domestic life, these rugs generally were felt to be too precious to serve as floor coverings, and were instead used as exotic tablecloths. This style of rug and those with closely related patterns became so associated with the concept of Middle Eastern rugs in the European consumer's mind that they were copied and adapted in Western weaving centers, especially Spain.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, European artists depicted Turkish rugs with such frequency that collectors have named specific patterns after famous artists, including Hans Memling and Lorenzo Lotto. The Reves rug is of a type known as "Small-Patterned Holbein," named after the German artist Hans Holbein the Younger (1497-1543). This variety is characterized by a central field composed of small octagons. This emblem, or "gul," is believed to be a tribal symbol and is, as here, frequently decorated with Islamic-style strapwork. In the "Large-Patterned Holbein," the central field contains large octagons aligned vertically. Both "Holbein" types often have Kufesque borders, as in this example, which has patterns along the outer edge resembling the geometric Arabic script called Kufic. Although these patterns are not actually inscriptions, they closely link these rug designs to their Islamic origin.

Excerpt from

Dallas Museum of Art, Decorative Arts Highlights from the Wendy and Emery Reves Collection (Dallas, Texas: Dallas Museum of Art, 1995), 27.

NOTES

TMS Updates

search dates

place of origin

provenance

published references

text entry

Several letters of correspondence (dated 1966) to and from Emery Reves with another rug collector in regard to this rug.
Several letters of correspondence (dated 1998) between Charles Venable and Wendy Reves and a Thomas J. Farnham (researcher from North Carolina) who was inquiring about the provenance of this rug. He was attempting to trace its provenance to a Stefano Bardini (a Florentine art dealer). I could not tell from the correspondence if that connection was ever made -- although based on correspondence from Wendy Reves, it appears that it could very well be likely.

Catalogue essays

Textiles at the Dallas Museum of Art

The Reves Gift to the DMA

At La Pausa with Wendy and Emery Reves

Emery Reves

The Wendy and Emery Reves Collection

The Renaissance of La Pausa

Wendy Reves

Rugs and Fans in the Reves Collection

Artist/designers

Cultures

Geography

Process/materials

Historical periods

Individuals

Subject terms

RELATED OBJECTS

PROVENANCE

Until 1985: Emery Reves (1904-1983) and Wendy Reves (1916-2007) (owned jointly), La Pausa, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France [1]

From 1985: Dallas Museum of Art, The Wendy and Emery Reves Collection, gift of Wendy Reves (1916-2007) [1]

[1] According to: Olivier Meslay and Martha MacLeod, From Chanel to Reves (Dallas, Texas: Dallas Museum of Art, 2015), 4-5.

AUDIO ASSETS

VIDEO ASSETS

IMAGE ASSETS

WEB RESOURCES

The Met Museum~Watch a video about the Conservation and Display of Islamic Textiles and Carpets in the Met Collection

ARCHIVAL RESOURCES

FUN FACTS

TEACHING IDEAS

RULES

Apply to objects where number equals 1985.R.101

General Description

Turkey has had an important weaving industry for centuries. In the 13th century, Marco Polo traveled through the region and praised its rugs as the most beautiful in the world. By the 15th century, traders were importing Turkish rugs into Europe, where they were extremely expensive and valued as symbols of high rank. For example, Turkish rugs are often depicted in 15th- and 16th- century Italian religious paintings of the enthroned Virgin and Child. In domestic life, these rugs generally were felt to be too precious to serve as floor coverings, and were instead used as exotic tablecloths. This style of rug and those with closely related patterns became so associated with the concept of Middle Eastern rugs in the European consumer's mind that they were copied and adapted in Western weaving centers, especially Spain.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, European artists depicted Turkish rugs with such frequency that collectors have named specific patterns after famous artists, including Hans Memling and Lorenzo Lotto. The Reves rug is of a type known as "Small-Patterned Holbein," named after the German artist Hans Holbein the Younger (1497-1543). This variety is characterized by a central field composed of small octagons. This emblem, or "gul," is believed to be a tribal symbol and is, as here, frequently decorated with Islamic-style strapwork. In the "Large-Patterned Holbein," the central field contains large octagons aligned vertically. Both "Holbein" types often have Kufesque borders, as in this example, which has patterns along the outer edge resembling the geometric Arabic script called Kufic. Although these patterns are not actually inscriptions, they closely link these rug designs to their Islamic origin.