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Azerbaijani carpets / TABRIZ GROUP
Museum of Eastern countries (Moscow). The description and
artistic-mastery features of the carpets with plot are given in the
third section.
Within the Tabriz group of carpets, ornamental carpets are
more common than plot-based carpets. It is possible to explain
it by attitude to vivid description in Muslim world, and also lay-
ing the carpets on the floor. On other hand, it could be consid-
ered natural to explain the thoughts in the carpet not by descrip-
tion, but with ornaments by local carpet-weavers who prevail
to “speak” with symbols in all spheres of national artistic crafts-
manship.
Among the ornamental carpets belonging to Tabriz group of
carpets such as “Lechekturunj”, “Afshan”, “Khatai” and “Islim-
ibend”, nabat elements on the pattern cover of their composi-
tions were fitted to special smooth rhythm. Usually these com-
positions having a compound sense subordinate to marvelous
"halazun" (spiral) rhythm and stylized petal nabat patterns, bud,
flower and leaf descriptions becoming the main content-mean-
ing of composition had miracle appearance and provided the
miracle of artistic-aesthetic value of the carpet. It is possible to
be sure that artistic-philosophical content meaning of nabat pat-
terns in the cheshni belonging to Tabriz group stipulated their
becoming a valuable work of art.
“Lechekturunj” is one of the most popular compositions dem-
onstrating the imagination of carpet-weavers in decorative art of
Middle East and also Azerbaijan. It is suggested that this popular
cheshni was created in 9th-10th centuries. Its field mainly consists
of two elements – gyol (turunj - medallion) in the center of com-
position and petals in the corners. Turunj and petals in a num-
ber of “Lechekturunj” carpets woven by the Azerbaijani masters
are in different forms. It is possible to meet eight, twelve and
even sixteen (“Sheikh Safi” carpet) corners in these gyol-turunj.
As a rule the petals are in range form as turunj. Sometimes in
compositions the petals are created from symmetric repetition
of fourth one parts of turunj in the corners. The interval between
turunj and petals is without patterns in a simple cut carpets, and
is decorated with spiral branches of stylized flowers and leaves
in compound compositions. “Lechekturunj” is one of the best
compositions among the gyol-medallion carpets allowing per-
fection and completeness of artistic solution. The best specimen
preserving this artistic perfection is the “Sheikh Safi” carpet ex-
emplifying “Lechekturunj” traditions.
It is obvious that these carpets have a high level of artistic and
technical features, making them rare. It should be emphasized
that “lechekturunj” creating pattern field of “Sheikh Safi” car-
pets is the most compound and the most perfection one. The pat-
terns consist of sixteen-cornered "turunj," which create a center
for the carpet, as well as focusing all the elements surrounding
the central section of the carpet. These designs amaze every one
with their extraordinary artistic-aesthetic solutions and artistic-
technical perfection.
It is possible to ensure only by looking at pattern field of
“Sheikh Safi” carpets woven in the 16th century and similar to
each other in terms of size an demonstrated at present at Lon-
don, Los Angeles and Tehran museums. Miniature. “Vine party”. Sultan Mahammad, 1525.
Carpet fragment. Wool, pile weave. 16 th-17th centuries.
Tabriz Group. Azerbaijan.
Victoria and Albert Museum. London.