Posted by Tom Cole on December 19, 1998 at 19:23:42:
In Reply to: Re: Check Out This Fragment posted by Irwin Kirsch on December 19, 1998 at 14:49:22:
: Dear Michael:
: You are correct in stating that the Kuba Alpan fragment had a couple of synthetic dyes. Recall that Steve wrote: "It is an inescapable fact that the most you can get from a fragment is its tactile qualities, colors and a feel for the technical skill of the weaver. Everything else is lost."
: I do not buy fragments, but I feel that not much is lost in this fragment (not having its main border, etc.) and one can appreciate the beautiful design, colors, and strength of this piece. While I would have loved seeing the entire rug, I can still appreciate the fragment. The fact that it has some synthetic colors and is from the last quarter of the 19th century (rather than earlier) doesn't ruin my enjoyment.
: Regards,
: Irwin
Irwin- How much of the rug is missing? At most 10%?? In my world, calling it a "fragment" is ALMOST a misnomer. For someone who is condition conscious, I guess it is a fragment, but for someone like myself, it is virtually all there. Depends how you want to look at things, either the cup of water is half full or half empty. Those who complain that fragments are a bummer to own or look at are just looking at what is missing, not what is there. In some cases, owning a fragment (like John's Tekke fragment) can be a very fulfilling experience. After all, who has enough space for complete Tekke main rug? And the pleasure derived from looking at that piece of a great rug does not detract from the greatness of the weaving still present. Too many people get hung up on picking apart every detail of every rug, ie. does it have 3 ply wool, open left or right, single wefted or otherwise, etc., rather than just enjoying the art of the piece. Something akin to not being able to see the forest but for the trees. What is art? An entirely different question, but as one person told me long ago, there are three things to look at when looking at rugs. The first is color, the second is color and last but not least, is COLOR! A slight exaggeration, but not so far off the truth.