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Laman Ismayilova

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Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum has opened an exhibition "Azerbaijani Carpet Splendour. Safavid Treasures", Azernews reports.

Director of the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum Amina Malikova, Deputy Culture Minister Saadat, Vice-President for the Caspian region, Communications and External Affairs at bp Bakhtiyar Aslanbayli, Head of Amir Textiles and Rugs LLC Amir Oskouei, delivered speeches and underlined the significance of the exhibition in terms of promotion of historical Azerbaijani cultural heritage.

The artistic part of the event featured songs performed by Ravan Gachayev and Zeynab Najafova, accompanied by tar player Nihad Gadirli and kamancha player Togrul Gasimov. Azerbaijan State Dance Ensemble performed Uzundere, Shalakho and Gaytagi dances.

The exhibition displays 14 unique carpets and artistic embroidery samples of the 17th-18th centuries from the private collection of the USA citizen Amir Oskouei. The worldwide-known palace carpets based on Afshan, Goja and Khatai (Dragon) compositions 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, Garabagh, 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, simurgh and the tree of life.

Along with carpets, the 16th-century palace workshops of the Safavids also produced artistic embroidery, highly appreciated decorative and applied art samples of the time. During the 17th and 18th centuries, many weaving centres of Azerbaijan created embroidery samples inspired by the ones made at the palace workshops.

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 attract great attention to this very day. Taking this into account, the visitors can obtain detailed information in Azerbaijani and English about the rare exhibits presented at the exhibition via touchscreen displays.

The exhibition also includes a video created by the AI about the palace carpets, depicted on Tabriz miniatures. The video presents the creation process of the 16th-17th-century palace carpets of the Safavid period as harmony between modern technologies and historical craftsmanship.

The exhibition is organised jointly by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum, Amir Textiles and Rugs (Oskouei LLC), sponsored by BP Azerbaijan and supported by the United States – Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce, Silk Way West Airlines and Terra Leone.

bp, the longtime and reliable partner of Azerbaijan in the field of energy, has implemented a number of significant social, educational and cultural projects along with its successful activity in the oil and gas sector. bp took an active part in promotion of Azerbaijani cultural heritage, including gurama (patchwork) and kelaghayi (women’s national headdress). This project is the continuation of bp’s support to promotion and research of rare art treasures.

The exhibition "Azerbaijani Carpet Splendour. Safavid Treasures" is on until May 10, 2025.