Page 46 - Azərbaycan xalçaları

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The artistic structure of the carpet contains
a rich central field and border.
Fifteen complete and six incomplete “sini”-
like (tray) medallions have been placed in
the dark blue central field. Russian decora-
tive applied art influenced carpets with these
compositions.
From the second half of the nineteenth cen-
tury, the expanding cultural and economic
relations between Azerbaijan and Russia led
to increased prosperity of trade relations.
Natural flowers and other elements on calico
and wool fabrics and shawls as well as on
iron “sini” greatly attracted carpet-weaving
masters. The carpets produced under the
influence of Russian decorative-applied art
include “Sakhsida gullar,” “Baghchada gul-
lar,” “Bulud,” and “Sinili” carpets. At first,
this type of carpet was distinguished from
other carpets by very simple ornament de-
sign. Year by year, local masters enriched the
ornaments of the carpets of this composition
and achieved a composite ornament design.
At the end of the nineteenth century, hand-
made rugs with composite ornament de-
signs were giving to girls as dowry. Carpets
woven for dowries were of very high qual-
ity. The girl who would be the bride chose
the ornaments of the carpet according to her
own taste.
There are dark and light red, brown, brick
red, pink, light green, blue, lilac, and dark
blue flowers and foliage motifs inside the
“sini”-like medallions in the central field of
the carpet. The background of the medal-
lions is trimmed with dark red, ivory, light
red, brick red, pink, and ivory-lilac colors.
The edges of the medallions are outlined
with brown, light red, light green, blue, ivo-
ry, yellow, and light brown borders.
The blank spaces of the central field are
filled with four-, six-, and eight-petal flow-
ers, trees, rhomboidal, square, x-shaped, and
other classic elements. There are stylized
gazelle and bird depictions in the right, left,
upper, and lower areas of the central field.
Flowery branches and leaves are depicted
on the borders at the edges of the medal-
lions. “Gaychibalig” and other elements in
the borders are trimmed with light green,
yellow, ivory, light red, dark blue, light and
dark brown, blue, black, henna and other
colors.
There are incomplete elements in the up-
per and lower sections of the central field.
The dark blue major border of the carpet is
decorated with bright red, yellow, light red,
orange, light green, dark and light brown, dark blue, blue, and ivory
flowers and foliage motifs and branches. The background of the border
is henna-colored in some areas.
The major border is surrounded with minor borders trimmed with
three- and four-petal flowers and spiral-shaped branches on both sides.
The external minor border and other minor border are surrounded with
ivory chains trimmed with wavy lines. The edges of the major border
are finished in white “sichandishi” (mouse teeth).
The carpet is distinguished by its special color design. These colors,
which are characteristic for Nakhchivan carpets, have been arranged
with special professionalism in this carpet. The pile and warp of the
carpet is wool and the weft is cotton. The condition of the carpet is excel-
lent. The carpet is of artistic, historical, and scientific importance.