24/12/2025
Antique pictorial rug from Tabriz, dated 1921, depicting the poet Ismail seated and playing the tar, a traditional Persian string instrument. The oval medallion is surrounded by Persian poetic inscriptions, likely composed specifically for the rug or inspired by late Qajar literary traditions.
Beneath the portrait, the rug is signed and dated: Tabriz 1921 (Latin), Tabriz (Persian), and the year 1329 according to the Hijri calendar. The name Ismail also appears in Cyrillic script (“ИСМАИЛ!”), reflecting the cultural and artistic connections between Tabriz and the Russian-speaking world in the early 20th century.
Provenance:
Acquired in the 1950s–60s, later held in a private collection, and today part of the RUGNESS collection.
