About Turkish Bergama Antique Oriental Rugs - An Introduction by Nejad Rugs ...

Antique Turkish Bergama Rugs

Overview

The identifying patterns of the Bergama carpet can be divided generally into either the "Caucasian" type with large, geometric shapes - often finished with nicely-woven Kilim ends, or the "Turkish" type, mainly with floral motifs, flowers and leaves in the field. A third type are the Bergama rugs made by the nomadic peoples of Anatolia that typically display a central medallion consisting of large, concentric rhomboid-like patterns and latch-hook ornaments. Color palettes employed - typically a predominant field of navy and deep reds with accents and borders of white, ivory, gold, yellow or light green - are consistent throughout the rugs produced in this region.

This antique Dagestan carpet is being offered for sale by Nejad.
This richly-decorated handmade 4' 8" × 6' 9" Turkish Bergama antique carpet c. 1910 is now being offered by Nejad Rugs.

About Dagestan.

The Rug-Producing Region of Izmir, Turkey

Bergama carpet refers to handwoven Turkish rugs made in the Bergama district in the coastal Izmir Province of northwest central Turkey along the Aegean Sea - and where the history of rugmaking dates back to as early as the 11th century. One of the most westernized cities in Turkey, the metropolitan city of Izmir extends along the outlying waters of the Gulf of Izmir and, after Istanbul and Ankara, is the third most populous city in Turkey. Bergama, a district made up of around 70-80 villages within Izmir Province, is also the name of the district's capital city.

The Antique Bergama Rug

Commercial export of Anatolian carpets to Europe is documented since the 15th century and there are samples dating from this period currently on display in Berlin (the Pergamon Museum) and New York (the Metropolitan Museum of Art). By the 16th century, oriental carpets begin to appear in Northern Renaissance paintings that, by their unique patterns and structural details, as well as the meticulous detail of the artists' rendering, can be identified as carpets likely woven in Bergama.

This antique Dagestan carpet was sold at auction by Christie's.
The so-called "large pattern Holbein Type" carpet - produced in the Bergama region of Izmir, Turkey

Perhaps the best known carpet of this "woven for export" category which is attributed to the Bergama region is the so-called "large pattern Holbein Type" (or Holbein Type III). A carpet of this type was included by Hans Holbein the Younger, one of the great artists and portrait painters of the 16th century, in one of his oft-cited religious-themed works - the "Darmstadt" Madonna.

The "Darmstadt" Madonna by Hans Holbein the Younger features a Bergama carpet

17th century Dutch artist Pieter de Hooch included a superbly-detailed Turkish rug in this family portrait

More than 100 years later, in 1663, the Dutch artist Pieter de Hooch, a contemporary of the more-famous Johannes Vermeer, painted this group portrait (a Family making music together) which features a small Turkish rug (attributed to Bergama) centrally-displayed amidst the family grouping.

Notes

The history of the Bergama carpet - as seen in its designs, motifs and ornaments - reads like a who's who of the political and ethnic history as well as the overall diversity of the area of Asia minor. Several cultural influences have contributed to it's ecclectic style - from Ottoman Turkic and Armenian peoples migrating from Central Asia, to Caucasian and Kurdic tribes either living in, or migrating to Anatolia, and from traces of old Byzantine design to the later arrival of Islam.

Young Turkish woman in a traditional Ottoman Costume.

Outdoor Rug Bazaar in Izmir that features Bergama Rugs for sale

Currently Nejad is offering the following antique Bergama carpet for sale: Turkish Bergama

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