Ancient Moroccan carpet, Beni Ourain, 200 cm x 300 cm, 1940/50

Very original carpet aesthetically, at the hinge of tradition and modernity. With its cream background, the absence of borders, its large black orange lattice and its very sober geometric patterns in brown, black and red -losanges, triangles and checkerboards - this carpet is similar to the berber carpets of the northeastern middle atlas (beni-ouarain tribe). But several traits keep it away from a traditional tribal carpet. First, the cotton chain, instead of the wool. Then the knotting technique used: the symmetrical node, instead of the berber node. Moreover, the perfect symmetry of both the drawings and the colours on the two axes, from left to right and from bottom to top, confirms that this carpet was made in a workshop from a rigorous canvas excluding any improvisation. On the contrary, a tribal carpet often presents asymmetries and areas where fantasy is free. However, this symmetry combines here with a lot of independence and does not disdain surprises: Five completely empty diamonds in the centre, contrasting with the decorated diamonds placed rather close to the edges. Losangé trellis not occupying the entire field and overflowing with several motifs. Place itself of certain motifs not in the center of the large diamonds but near an angle, in an outlying position, surprising. Incomplete patterns, cut, near the edges. All in all, a free and bold carpet, modern, light, which, by its chromatic and decorative minimalism, evokes quite closely the aesthetic "art deco" of the 1930s.

Ref. : U3275HPB