The Second World War caused serious damage to the trade and industry of the market in Isfahan and the world market. During this period the raw materials used for weaving rugs such as wool and dyestuffs became expensive. In the meantime, some dishonest and profiteering weavers took advantage of this situation and began to cheat and swindle.
The fame and trade of Isfahan carpets that was in the forefront of all other carpets in Iran began to decline and the business was at a stand-still. Fortunately, the quality of fibers used for the carpets has improved in recently times. By re-starting many weaving factories and creating marvelous and fine woven pieces, Isfahan has regained its celebrity status in the carpet landscape.
In the past years and up to present times, the artists of Isfahan often design draw their sketches from the diaphoretic and simple glazed tiles of the Chechel-Sotun Building, Nagshe-Jahan, Madreseh Chahar Bagh, Masjed-e-Sheikh, Lotf-ollah, and other historical buildings.
The patterns used most in Isfahan rugs are Shah-Abbasi medallion, Eslimi medallion, trees and animals, overall Shah-Abbasi, and geometrical medallion and corner.
Isfahan was one of the most important centers for the cultivation of various plants used in dyeing. Ronas (Madder) as well as wild plants containing colored products can now be found in its mountains and deserts. Natural colors were used in dyeing centers due to their abundance at the time but large quantities of dye-stuffs (particularly chromatic compounds) are used presently.
The numbers of the dye-stuffs in Isfahan carpets are mostly beige, buff-white, red, dark blue, and turquoise. The wool used for weaving is obtained from Kerman, Yazd, Khorasan, Kermanshahan, and foreign sources. Isfahan carpets are amongst the best of Persian products (due to their hard wearing and decorative nature). The piles of high quality Isfahan carpets are thick and made of “kork” and the foundations are of cotton (with the finest being woven from Silk).
Isfahan rugs include a small panel with an image of the Iranian flag at the top or bottom, the weaver’s signature is woven within these panels.
Read our other blog posts on Isfahan Rugs:
