Mamluk Rug with Palm Trees and Cypresses

The source of the rug comes from the book Renaissance of Islam, Art of the Mamluks, Esin Atil, Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C., 1981 nr.126. This rug with palm trees and cypresses was designed in the late 15th-century rug by Mamluk Sultane of Cairo, Egypt. It is exhibited at the Washington D.C. The Textile Museum, R.16.1.3 . The central square displays the ultimate expression of a geometric pattern based on multiples of eight. It contains a central octagon filled with red lancet leaves on the ground. In the core is a multipetaled blossom enclosed by a medallion surrounded by an eight-pointed star. Triangles placed around the octagon transform it into an eight-pointed star enclosed by a frame with papyrus sprays on the ground. Encircling this zone is a series of polygons with rosettes, which form an immense sixteen-pointed star. The corners of the central square have quatrefoils on the ground. The transverse bands above and below the central square have the ground with palm trees alternating with cypresses flanked by papyrus sprays, all of which are oriented toward the center. The border is densely packed with alternating oval cartouches and eight-lobed medallions. These units are filled with papyrus motifs, which evolve from lozenges in the middle of the ovals; they also radiate from squares in the medallions filled with multipetaled blossoms. The ovals in the center of the long sides are contracted and contain only lozenges. Double guard borders, decorated with leaf scrolls, repeat the color scheme. This rug contains several decorative elements employed in other contemporary arts. The naturalistic cypresses growing on the transverse bands are similar to those on metal objects and tiles and to those in the stained-glass windows in the mausoleum of Sultan Qaitbay, completed in 1472-74. The design of the rug is interpreted by our designers and soft colors are chosen for this rug.

Color summary: 3 colors in total;

• Imperial Red  415 (Madder Root)
• Pale Green  439 (Chamomile - Indigo)
• Cadet Blue 26 (Spurge - Indigo)