Azernews.Az

The exhibition will display 14 unique carpets and artistic embroidery samples of the 17^th-18^th centuries along with the 16^th-century miniature illustration for the Shahname poem from the private collection of USA citizen Amir Oskouei. The worldwide known palace carpets based on Afshan, Goja and Khatai (Dragon) compositions will occupy a special place.

The carpet art experienced its heyday during the reign of the Safavids, when production of these elegant carpets of unique artistic design was extended in Azerbaijan. At that period, the carpets made in Shirvan, Karabakh, Baku and Guba carpet centres increased in size. Carpet samples were decorated with partially redesigned images and elements of the Tabriz carpets such as: islimi, khatai, bulud, ajdaha, simurg and tree of life.

Along with carpets, the 16^th-century palace workshops of the Safavids also produced artistic embroidery, highly appreciated decorative and applied art samples of the time. During the 17^th-18^th centuries, many weaving centres of Azerbaijan created embroidery samples inspired by the ones made at the palace workshops. They were mainly used as covers, tablecloth or wall decoration.

The unique Azerbaijani carpets were always highly appreciated around the globe in virtue of their quality and artistic features. Noblemen of the West with aristocratic taste collected Azerbaijani carpets and decorated palaces, mansions and religious monuments with them. The Azerbaijani decorative and applied art samples preserved at the world museums and private collections, carpets of the 17^th-18^th centuries in particular attract great attention to this very day.

The exhibition "Azerbaijani Carpet Splendour. Safavid Treasures in Antique Weaving", organised jointly by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum, Amir Textiles & Rugs LTD, the United States – Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce and Silk Way West Airlines is an outstanding example.

The exhibition is on until May 10, 2025.