Strategic Studies of Art

Strategic Studies of Art

An Examination of the Design Structure and Color Composition of Tabriz Prayer Rugs from the Qajar Period Held in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
University of Birjand
10.22083/ssa.2026.565796.1110
Abstract
The Persian carpet, as one of the most sublime manifestations of art and industry within the realm of Islamic civilization, holds a distinguished position. This cultural masterpiece, with a history spanning millennia, has an inseparable connection with the social and economic life of Iran and encompassed a wide spectrum of communities, from nomadic tribes to royal courts. The study of Tabriz prayer rugs from the Qajar period reveals remarkable diversity in their design structure and the creative application of color. These works, while preserving the symbolic structure of the mihrab, simultaneously demonstrate innovation in composition and coloration—particularly through the use of aniline dyes—thereby catalyzing aesthetic transformations in the carpet-weaving art of this region. The present research was conducted with the aim of analyzing the design structure and color composition of Tabriz prayer rugs from the Qajar period. The main research question is as follows: What are the structural and chromatic characteristics of design in this category of rugs? To achieve this objective, four prominent specimens of Tabriz prayer rugs from the Qajar period were selected via purposive sampling from the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, and examined using a descriptive-analytical approach. Data was gathered through library research by studying visual documentation and related texts. The findings indicate that Tabriz prayer rugs from this period exhibit significant diversity in design, encompassing a range from simple to highly ornate structures. The employed motifs represent a synthesis of curvilinear and geometric patterns, and the composition of the rugs is primarily based on establishing harmony and symmetry within the color tonalities. This research ultimately confirms that these rugs, with their unique structural and chromatic features, constitute a distinct and noteworthy genre of carpet-weaving art from the Qajar era.
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Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 18 March 2026