These strongly colored carpet designs are “painted” with wool
Chinese Art Deco rugs have a special place in our hearts at Atticmag. For many years Jane F. had one in her living room and I’ve written previously about the unusual color combinations and pairing of symbolic cultural motifs with then-modern forms. The result is carpets which display the picturesque qualities of paintings. Oriental rugs in general are often referred to in this way, but Chinese Deco rugs have a uniquely masterful balance of motifs in their designs.
This Nichols carpet is a splendid example of that balance. A solid band of blue on the outer border highlights the oval, royal blue center field and creates a visually strong frame for the carpet. A scattering of branches and blossoms delicately flow into the field without distracting the eye from the pagoda below. I wanted to highlight this rug, in particular, because the image quality is so true to life. Chinese rugs of this era have a fabulous sheen and they look and feel like crushed velvet. That feature is captured perfectly in the blue of the center field and I guarantee it is as true as these images show.
(Source: 1st Dibs)
