Prayer Rug

Prayer rug design motifs were often woven with symbolic meanings in mind. The arched mihrab niche of a prayer rug, for example, not only indicates the direction of prayer, but also signifies the gateway to heaven. The central field under the arch is often shown blooming with flowers, a visual metaphor of paradise attainable through prayer. In this Anatolian prayer rug an S-shaped pendant is suspended from the apex of the niche. The pendant would appear to represent a glass mosque lamp, with its radiant light a symbol for the divine presence. The keyhole-like protrusion at the base of the carpet field might stand for the courtyard fountain where the faithful perform ritual ablutions before commencing their prayers in the mosque. Alternatively, this form could represent a mihrab niche placed within a larger one, as is seen in decorated architectural tile panels. The octagonal central medallion and geometric scrollwork border punctuated with hooks and leaves are characteristic of rugs woven in Ushak and also seen in European paintings of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

Aimee Froom in [Walker et al. 1994]

James F. Ballard, St. Louis, MO (until 1922; gifted to MMA)

Mexico City. Colegio de San Ildefonso. "Arte Islámico del Museo Metropolitano de Arte de Nueva York," September 30, 1994–January 8, 1995, no. 120.

Paris. Institut du Monde Arabe. "Le Ciel dans un tapis (Heaven in a Carpet)," December 7, 2004–March 27, 2005, no. 19.

Lisbon. Museu Calouste Gulbenkian. "Le Ciel dans un tapis (Heaven in a Carpet)," April 28, 2005–July 31, 2005, no. 19.

Breck, Joseph, and Frances Morris. "The Metropolitan Museum of Art." In The James F. Ballard Collection of Oriental Rugs. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1923. no. 28, p. 17, ill. (b/w).

Dimand, Maurice S., and Jean Mailey. Oriental Rugs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1973. no. 80, p. 224, ill. (b/w).

Ellis, Charles. Oriental Carpets in the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Philadelphia: Philadelphia Museum of Art, 1988. pp. 76, 77, ill. fig. 26a (b/w).

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Daniel S. Walker, Arturo Ponce Guadián, Sussan Babaie, Stefano Carboni, Aimee Froom, Marie Lukens Swietochowski, Tomoko Masuya, Annie Christine Daskalakis-Matthews, Abdallah Kahli, and Rochelle Kessler. "Colegio de San Ildefonso, Septiembre de 1994–Enero de 1995." In Arte Islámico del Museo Metropolitano de Arte de Nueva York. Mexico City: Consejo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes, 1994. no. 120, pp. 284–85, ill. (color).

Le Ciel dans un Tapis. Paris and Lisbon: Editions Snoeck, 2004. no. 19, pp. 122–23, ill. (color).