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Persian Carpet, Red with Ivory Medallion, 9'7" x 6'8"
Persian Carpet. Red ground with ivory medallion. Ivory and beige borders. 9'7" x 6' 8". This is an example of a Medallion Carpet, or any floor covering on which the decoration is dominated by a single geometric centrepiece, such as a star-shaped, circular, quatrefoiled, or octagonal figure. The name, however, is sometimes also given to a carpet on which the decoration consists of several forms of this kind or even of rows of medallion figures. Among Persian carpets, particularly those of the classic period, the medallion may represent an open lotus blossom with 16 petals as seen from above, a complex star form, or a quatrefoil with pointed lobes. Toward each end of the carpet there may be added to this centrepiece a cartouche form (an oval or oblong ornate frame), placed transversely, and a finial or pendant that sometimes is very large. In each corner of the field there may appear a quarter-medallion, which may or may not have the same contour and the same appendages as the central medallion. Such combinations are still used in the decoration of modern Persian carpets.
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