Inspiration Everywhere – Bakhshayesh Sunset
Working with antique carpets, one cannot help but admire the complex designs abounding in tribal rugs. At Orley Shabahang, we adore these antique and vintage pieces for their vibrant tones and incredible craftsmanship. Within our modern collections, we honor this tradition and inspirational style through our Tribal Revival Collection. In this week’s Inspiration Everywhere, we will be discussing one of our most revered carpets from this collection, Bakhshayesh Sunset. Continue reading this week’s blog to discover the craftsmanship of this piece, its design’s origins, and its symbolism.
Bakhshayesh Sunset showcases a tribal and traditionally styled design crafted in true Orley Shabahang fashion. In our exclusive Nandana weave, wool shorn from Persian fat-tailed sheep is hand-spun into yarn, then hand-dyed in small batches using organic vegetable dyes. These organic dyes produce colors that are both vibrant and fade-resistant. Because of this, these organic dyes are preferable for traditional and contemporary weavers alike. After the dying process, the yarn is washed in natural spring water and dried in the sun to set the colors. From here, the yarn is finally ready for the master weaver, who hand-knots each thread upon the warp of the foundation.
The inspiration for Bakhshayesh Sunset began with traditional and antique pieces from the Caucasus. The allure of Caucasian carpets comes from their hybrid stylized design, a tribal take on a traditional Persian flower garden design. Unlike most Persian tribal carpets, Caucasian rugs utilize fewer curvilinear lines and more angular and geometric motifs, allowing the weaver to create a balanced and symmetrical design. We love these vibrant and playful motifs so much that we created a new collection after them, our Tribal Revival Collection. Moreover, rooted in these designs is a deep symbolism, the true allure of Caucasian carpets.
Because the Caucasus neighbor other carpet weaving regions, similarities are drawn between the motifs found in their respective carpets. Starting from the center of the piece, we encounter a rectangular motif surrounded by two large crab-like medallions in green and indigo wool. The square motif in the center, known as the “hooked cross,” symbolizes happiness. The medallion’s detailing in shades of green, cream, blue, and orange provides fabulous contrast and clarity from the field. Moving outward, we find multiple variants of the Tree of Life design ascending on either side of the rug. Encompassing the tribal-themed background is a detailed and interconnecting, multi-level border. Completed in green, blue, orange, and cream outlines, numerous bird, flower, butterfly, and vine motifs reside within the border. Such motifs allude to the circle of life and the theme that one creature needs the other to survive.
With thousands of carpets in every style imaginable, we have something in stock that is perfect for your space. If you enjoyed our Bakhshayesh Sunset carpet, make sure to check out the rest of our Tribal Revival collection on our website, orleyshabahang.com. And if you are feeling extra, check out our 1stdibs digital showroom to see additional tribal carpet options available today!