This magnificent antique Persian Isfahan Ahmad rug showcases the finest traditions of Isfahan weaving. Its overall pattern features a repeating allover Shah Abbasi floral design, with large lobed medallions symmetrically arranged across the deep indigo field. These medallions are filled with intricate arabesques and rosettes in burnt orange, sky blue, ivory, and gold, connected by a dense network of floral vines. The background teems with finely drawn blossoms—peonies, palmettes, and delicate sprays—executed with microscopic precision.
The overall color palette is both warm and regal: The main field is showcased in deep midnight blue “indigo” as the ground color, enhancing contrast. The primary accent colors are rich rust-reds, vibrant turquoise blues, soft ivory, and muted golds. Borders are framed with a wide main border filled with scrolling arabesques and palmettes, flanked by multiple narrow guard borders in complementary tones.
The deep indigo field blooms with a continuous Shah Abbasi floral garden, where rust-red medallions, turquoise blossoms, and golden vines intertwine in perfect harmony. The colors, softened by time, now glow with the gentle patina only age and authenticity can bestow. The vegetable dyes have mellowed over more than a century, giving the rug a luminous patina that is impossible to replicate in newer weavings.
Large Isfahan Ahmad rugs are exceptionally rare because Isfahan’s master weavers usually produced medium-sized works to maintain knot density and precision. Creating a rug of this size—while preserving Ahmad’s hallmark delicacy—required an extraordinary investment of time, skill, and resources. This rug embodies the Isfahan school’s pinnacle period (late 19th to early 20th century), when weavers revived classical Safavid designs, infusing them with a lighter, more detailed touch. Ahmad’s works are prized for their exceptional balance of color, technical refinement, and perfect symmetry.
This Ahmad rug is a chapter of Persian history woven by the hands of a master. Over 100 years ago, in the cultural heart of Isfahan, Master Ahmad—one of the city’s most celebrated weavers—oversaw the creation of this exceptional piece. Crafted entirely by hand from the finest wool and dyed with natural vegetable pigments, it reflects the pinnacle of Persian artistry during the great Isfahan weaving revival. The rug size is 11.6 x 16.6.
