Pinwheel Kazak
227 x 178 cm (7' 5" x 5' 10")
Caucasus, second half 19th century
Condition: good, low pile in places, corroded brown, several large-scale professional repairs and reweavings, selvages rebound
Warp: wool, weft: wool, pile: wool

In examples of the swatiska or pinwheel design that have no secondary decoration in the field, the design can sometimes seem relatively austere and stiff with the white rosettes clearly appearing in static rows.

Here the profusion of small blossoms and small diamond shaped forms, which look like small petals or snowflakes, enhance the composition and create a sense of depth. These are indeed a useful compositional tool in that they suggest a
multi-plane design and allude to the interplay between different layers of design in the white blossoms and blue pinwheels. The proportions of the field design provide enough space for the design elements to interact effectively and allowed the pinwheels to impart the sense of movement and dynamism that have made this genre so popular with collectors.

The appearance of a nice aubergine purple colour in the border combined with the elements above suggests that this carpet is slightly older than other examples of this type and definitely dates to the mid 19 century.