In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, Portuguese, Dutch, and English explorers founded outposts along the coastline of India from which to trade for spices. Later, the British and Dutch East India companies were formed, and officers and representatives of these concerns set up residence in India. They became familiar with India’s art and culture, often purchasing or commissioning carpets for their own use. In addition, commercial and private enterprises exported carpets to Europe. Provincial weaving centers in Lahore and elsewhere catered to these new customers.

Oriental carpets are depicted in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Dutch and Flemish paintings, providing clues to their usage in the West. From these paintings it is obvious that Oriental carpets were highly valued; for example, they were shown placed in front of altars in cathedrals, a position of prestige. In other paintings, the carpets are draped over tabletops. A painting by Johannes Vermeer in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Young Woman with a Water Jug, depicts a rug with a Persian design used in this way. Because Persian designs were popular with Europeans and were sometimes copied in India for export, it is impossible to tell the origin of the carpet that Vermeer painted.

Mughal carpets were acquired by Japanese royalty and guilds through their contacts with European traders. Some of these carpets were brought out for ceremonial use once a year, as part of a festival parade. Because of their careful storage and the fact that they are displayed only once a year, the carpets are in excellent condition.

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