›A glance over History

Konia, Turkey - Old age

Rug, as ancient as mankind itself, always has been bound to its evolution, as witnessed by its weaves, knots, colors, symbols and design.

Before they invented textiles, men used animal hides to protect themselves from the cold (these skins were used as clothes, floor coverings and hangings meant to cut drafts). As time went by, the planet warmed up and that change brought about the germination of a flora which in no time enabled men to grow cotton and linen. Imitating the intertwined tree branches, they wove the threads gathered from these plants, and thus manufactured textiles.

Textiles were soon to evolve, their degree of sophistication following closely in the steps of civilization itself. Their former utilitarian use was soon paired with such attributes as glamour, luxury, comfort.

Si les Egyptiens avaient sans doute des tapis "mêmEgypt, Chaldea, Minor Asia, Persia, China were the cradle of mankind's first civilization and their highly refined textiles soon became adorned with gems, interwoven with golden and silvery threads. The use of rugs was known to the Egyptians and most probably the use of woolen rugs as well. Diodora of Sicily has reported that the sacred animals were covered with them and a small statue of the god Apis, in the Louvre Museum is known to wear a carpet on his shoulders. For ages, however, there has been a constant confusion between carpets, tapestries and brocades (or embroidered materials) in the Greek and Roman spheres, and until the 14th century in France itself. 

Kerman, 19th century (Close-up)

The Egyptian rugs were made of linen and byssus. Hebrews who were fond of beautiful rugs must have derived their knowledge from the Egyptians. Their religious feasts were resplendent; the Queen of Sheba visiting Solomon, offered him magnificent present: "...the purple from Sur, the veils from Assur, the silken textiles from Lebanon, the brocades from Sham, the rugs from Ma-Wara-Nuahr, the clothes from Khorasan, the fruits from Iraq...".

The beauty of woven materials from Persia and Assyria was unparalleled. According to Pliny variegated color materials were qualified as "Babylonian", in homage to the famous manufactures they originated from. Xenophon has reported that in order to soften their sleeping commodities, Persians had the feet of their beds rest upon thick rugs.

Phrygians, Lydians, Phoenicians exported textile master pieces throughout the ancient world; the famous Smyrna (to-day's Izmir) rugs were specimens of these.

All these navigators introduced the rug in Greece. Telemachus set some complex textile work underneath the feet of Athena, Helena embroidered tapestries (Odysseus IV), while Penelope wove (and unwove) her linen. Homer's Illyad mentions several high tufted rugs.

The East was the greatest rug initiator of all time.

The art of the rug was known in Gaulle. Rugs and refined textiles adorned the Middle Ages; thanks to trade, fairs, crusades, travels they were soon introduced into European homes. Pilgrims travelled East. Jerusalem, Cairo, Famagusta were at different times the resplendent storehouses of luxury bound for Venice, Genoa and the Spanish peninsula.

Savonnerie Louis XIV

Ever since that time rugs have been in great demand in the Western world.

The inventory of Charles V (1343) lists 143 carpets. In 1430, Bruges was covered with rugs to honor the entrance of Isabelle of Portugal. In the 17th century, Louis XIII while entertaining the ambassador of Turkey kept watching his guest, for fear that the latter would tread upon "his" rug.

The history of rugs throughout the ages is closely related to that of contemporary mores. At first a basic requirement of everyday life, the rug increasingly became a luxury commodity.

Its production likewise expanded. Rugs were said to be either from England of from Turkey ('The French poet J. de La FONTAINE : "...sur un tapis de Turquie, le couvert se trouva mis…" The Town Rat and the Field Rat). Rugs were everywhere to be seen : on floors naturally, but also upon tables, mantel pieces and benches.

From 1550 onwards, the first Royal rug workshops were created in France. Two patrons of the arts, Francis I, and later, Henry II founded manufactures which were directed by the most skillful craftsmen of their time. The first one, located Place des Tournelles became later on the "Gobelins" manufacture headed from 1604 onwards by Pierre Dupont.

In 1627, it settled on the Hill of Chaillot, on the location of a former soap manufacture, "la Savonnerie". Dupont's collaborator, Simon Lourdet, executed in 1659 a carpet in the "Turkish manner", which the Queen immensely admired.

We should express our gratefulness to the very keen observers who, braving the invading mediocrity of mass-produced Eastern carpets which literally smother today's Western world, keep up the flame of a thousand-year-old craft, and help separate the wheat from the chaff.