Posted by Michael Wendorf on February 17, 1999 at 15:57:52:
In Reply to: Re: How We Know What We Know? posted by Erol Abit on February 17, 1999 at 12:09:46:
:
: : In my original posting I suggested that we might learn more about Rug #1 through someone who had considerable experience in the trade. Actually, I was thinking of Harold Keshishian. He obviously read my posting and sent this message to me:
: : "Excellent Wendel you are on the money in regards to number 1 rug. The rug is probably a Stambul or Keyseri piece or even a refugee atelier production. Many such rugs were woven in the first part of the 20th century. H.M. Keshishian"
: : I then did what I perhaps should have done before making my posting: I went to Turkish Carpets by J. Iten-Maritz, which illustrates many 19th and 20th Century carpets from throughout Turkey.
: : Among them are the rugs of Kayseri (in Central Anatolia - east and slightly north of Konya), which the author says have a long tradition of copying Persian (particularly Tabriz) carpets.
: : You will also find rugs attributed to other villages within Central Anatolia that have a color palatte strikingly similar to that of Rug #1. Not all are, of course, but there are several illustrated.
: : Wendel
: Wendel's comment makes sense that even today, even in our town Aksehir at 80 miles west of Konya, the origins of many of Hereke silk rug motifs look like persian with different colors. Regarding this, I guess Kum Kapi and Hereke were not only workshops of empire. Although many of imperial workshop rugs were produced in these areas, north west areas, there might have been in other regions of anatolia. I made a comment already on why persianate designs were copied in ottoman workshops in the last centuries (sultans' loves of persianate art, literary, music etc).
: I also want to make a comment with my lack of rug knowledge. I compared mystery rug1 with early seljuk rug with lattice design. I do not know the origin of "lattice" design on the rugs but the lattices and borders in these two rugs are different. Rug1 is more "flowery" while early seljuk rug is more "geometrical". May this be one of main criteria in the attribution of a rug to persian or turkish rug?
: Regards,
: Erol
: PS. By the way, Konya is considered in central anatolia, even the center of anatolia. But this is not a geometrical or a geographical consideration. (Actually, geometricaly, it is in the west of center of anatolia but very close.) Konya is in the central anatolia due to its cultural intensity (before ottomans, it was capital city and the cultural structure have always been conserved) and due to its climate descrition of central anatolia.
: I say there are 3 capital cities in turkey. Now, young Ankara is the capital of republic, culturally more west. Great Istanbul, was the capital of ottomans, has always been a capital on the bridge between west and east. Konya, was the capital of seljuks, has always been capital of anatolia, later became a capital of turkic culture. I am lucky to live in anatolia? Wish to see Texas one day.
Erol:
Lucky indeed. How about I show you Washington, D.C., a modern capital, and you show my Konya or Istanbul? I am certain we could even drag Wendel along. Michael Wendorf