Ontwerp voor een tapijt c. 1854 - 1864

This is an anonymous design for a carpet. The design is full of floral motifs and geometric patterns. It brings to mind the rich tradition of carpet-making in the Islamic world. What do we make of the anonymity of the designer? Is this because they were working within a traditional craft setting, where individual authorship was less important than the collective skill of the workshop? Or might they have been working in a European context where the carpet-making traditions of the East were being imitated and adapted? We might also consider the role of institutions such as design schools or museums in shaping the production and consumption of such designs. By researching historical patterns, trade routes, and the social status of carpet weaving we can better understand the meaning of this design. Art history encourages us to think about how cultural exchange, social hierarchies, and artistic traditions intersect.