{"id":11934,"date":"2023-08-01T14:42:20","date_gmt":"2023-08-01T17:42:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/figalli.com\/guia-tapetes\/isfahan\/"},"modified":"2026-08-17T20:04:14","modified_gmt":"2026-08-17T23:04:14","slug":"isfahan","status":"publish","type":"guia-tapetes","link":"https:\/\/figalli.com\/en\/rug-guide\/isfahan\/","title":{"rendered":"Isfahan"},"content":{"rendered":"<style id=\"fig-font\">.elementor-widget-theme-post-content h2,.elementor-widget-theme-post-content h3,.elementor-widget-theme-post-content h4,.entry-content h2,.entry-content h3,.entry-content h4{font-family:\"Cormorant Garamond\",Georgia,serif!important;font-weight:600!important}.elementor-widget-theme-post-content p,.elementor-widget-theme-post-content li,.entry-content p,.entry-content li{font-family:\"Jost\",sans-serif!important;font-weight:300!important}<\/style>\n<style id=\"fg-lux\">@import url('https:\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\/css2?family=Cormorant+Garamond:ital,wght@0,400;0,500;0,600;0,700;1,500;1,600&family=Jost:wght@300;400;500&display=swap');\nbody{background:#f4f1eb !important;}\n.elementor-section.elementor-top-section.elementor-element-e232f56{background-color:#f4f1eb !important;background-image:none !important;box-shadow:none !important;border-bottom-width:0 !important;}\n.elementor-widget-theme-post-content{font-family:'Jost',-apple-system,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif !important;font-weight:300 !important;color:#3b2d1f !important;}\n.elementor-widget-theme-post-content p,.elementor-widget-theme-post-content li{font-family:'Jost',sans-serif !important;font-weight:300 !important;color:#3b2d1f !important;line-height:1.82 !important;font-size:16.5px !important;}\n.elementor-widget-theme-post-content h1,.elementor-widget-theme-post-content h2,.elementor-widget-theme-post-content h3,.elementor-widget-theme-post-content h4,.elementor-widget-theme-post-content .fg-sub{font-family:'Cormorant Garamond',Georgia,serif !important;color:#1c140d !important;font-weight:600 !important;letter-spacing:.005em !important;}\n.elementor-widget-theme-post-content .fg-sub{font-size:28px !important;line-height:1.18 !important;margin:1.7em 0 .5em !important;}\nh1.elementor-heading-title{font-family:'Cormorant Garamond',Georgia,serif !important;font-weight:600 !important;color:#1c140d !important;letter-spacing:.01em !important;}.elementor-widget-theme-post-content>.elementor-widget-container{max-width:1350px;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;}<\/style>\n<p>\n\t\tIsfahan (or Esfahan) carpets claim a grand tradition among Persian carpets dating back to the times of the 16th century Safavid dynasty that culminated with Shah Abbas, the greatest patron of Persian arts including not only the production of carpets but also ceramics , metal, miniature paintings and book lighting. This was the beginning of the so-called First Golden Age of Persian Carpets.<br \/>\nAt the end of the 16th century, Isfahan became famous in Europe for its art in producing carpets. Under the reign of Shah Tahmasp (1524-1576), royal workshops were established mainly to serve the court. When the Safavid capital was established at Isfahan in 1598 under the rule of Shah Abbas I (r. 1587-1629), Armenian textile artists were relocated to the neighborhood of New Julfa, close to Shah Abbas&#8217;s palace complex. The local textile industry included dyeing specialists, weavers, and embroiderers who produced luxury fabrics mainly for export under state supervision. Private workshops located in urban centers such as <a href=\"\/en\/rug-guide\/yazd\/\">Yazd<\/a> and <a href=\"\/en\/rug-guide\/kashan\/\">Kashan<\/a> continued to produce fabrics for sale within and outside Persian borders.<br \/>\nThe textile artists of 16th-century Isfahan drew inspiration from the best achievements of Persian arts. They were influenced by other historically relevant art forms such as calligraphy, book illumination and mosaic work. They were also heavily inspired by the architecture of this real city. Inspired by the spiraling vines of the city&#8217;s famous buildings, the designers introduced delicate curvilinear floral shapes into their rugs. Today, the designs considered classics of antique carpets, such as arabesques, intertwined vines, vases and hunting motifs are inspired by the First Golden Age of Persian Carpets. Another source of inspiration for the Isfahan tapestry was Persian literary works. Today recognized worldwide, Persian literary art was depicted in figurative or pictorial carpets produced in Isfahan. These inspirations from diverse fields of art have made Isfahan carpets exceptionally attractive, captivating and classically Persian.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>Over time, carpets made for the palaces of the Safavids began to be used as gifts for the palaces of royalty in other countries. In this way, Isfahan carpets became very popular among European royalty and began to be ordered by their representatives in Isfahan.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"fig-auto-img\" style=\"margin:2.4em auto;text-align:center;\"><span class=\"fig-mat\" style=\"display:inline-flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;box-sizing:border-box;width:300px;height:300px;max-width:100%;background:transparent;padding:0;\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"361\" src=\"https:\/\/figalli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Isfahan-1024x462.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/figalli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Isfahan-1024x462.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/figalli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Isfahan-1200x542.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/figalli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Isfahan-300x135.jpg 300w, https:\/\/figalli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Isfahan-768x347.jpg 768w, https:\/\/figalli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Isfahan-1536x694.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/figalli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Isfahan.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" style=\"display:block;max-width:100%;max-height:100%;width:auto;height:auto;\"><\/span><\/figure>\n<p>Consequently, in the early 17th century, Isfahan carpets began to be recognized for their aesthetics and became emblems of wealth. In addition to royalty, European nobility began to acquire Isfahan carpets for their own use and to be given as gifts. At this time, there was a high demand for Isfahan carpets and it was the period at the height of their popularity in Europe and remained so until the middle of the 18th century. However, in 1772 the Afghan army invaded Persia, putting an end to the Safavids. Carpet making declined, not only in Isfahan, but elsewhere in the Persian empire. Thus ended the First Golden Age of Persian Carpets.<\/p>\n<p><em>Figurative carpet signed Ahmad Esfhahani, 1900. The carpet has in its center the figure of Shah Abbas and around it the figures of four more kings of the Safavid dynasty. Sold at auction for \u00a316,250.<\/em><\/p>\n<figure class=\"fig-auto-img\" style=\"margin:2.4em auto;text-align:center;\"><span class=\"fig-mat\" style=\"display:inline-flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;box-sizing:border-box;width:300px;height:300px;max-width:100%;background:transparent;padding:0;\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"518\" src=\"https:\/\/figalli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/2886438-876x567-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/figalli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/2886438-876x567-1.jpg 876w, https:\/\/figalli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/2886438-876x567-1-300x194.jpg 300w, https:\/\/figalli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/2886438-876x567-1-768x497.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" style=\"display:block;max-width:100%;max-height:100%;width:auto;height:auto;\"><\/span><\/figure>\n<p>It was only at the end of the 19th century that Isfahan reestablished its tradition of producing carpets, now inspired by the classic design of the Safavid era. The artists who made Isfahan carpets in the 19th century and those of the early 20th century continued the styles and techniques developed by their classical precursors, although often with the use of softer colors.<\/p>\n<p>The high knot density antique rugs in which Isfahan excelled continued to be woven into the late 19th and 20th centuries, maintaining the original inspiration and attention paid to refinement and detail. The finest materials were used, including silk, lamb&#8217;s wool and natural dyes that made Isfahan rugs ancient collectibles and investment grade items.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"fig-auto-img\" style=\"margin:2.4em auto;text-align:center;\"><span class=\"fig-mat\" style=\"display:inline-flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;box-sizing:border-box;width:300px;height:300px;max-width:100%;background:transparent;padding:0;\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"581\" src=\"https:\/\/figalli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/bb6497-1024x744.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/figalli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/bb6497-1024x744.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/figalli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/bb6497-1200x871.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/figalli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/bb6497-300x218.jpg 300w, https:\/\/figalli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/bb6497-768x558.jpg 768w, https:\/\/figalli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/bb6497.jpg 1322w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" style=\"display:block;max-width:100%;max-height:100%;width:auto;height:auto;\"><\/span><figcaption class=\"fig-cap\" style=\"display:block;font-family:&quot;Cormorant Garamond&quot;,Georgia,serif;font-style:italic;font-size:15px;line-height:1.45;color:#8a7c6a;text-align:center;margin-top:.7em;letter-spacing:.02em;\">Isfahan, 17th century<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The flowering of Isfahan carpets in the so-called Second Golden Age of Persian Carpets occurred through the work of two main artists. The two most important known master artists of the era before the 1930s were Agha Ahmad Ajam and Shoreshi. Both became respected for creating figurative designs and making high-quality rugs. The designs developed by Shoreshi feature the styles known as Shah Abbas, bushes and the tree of life. The drawings of the bushes and the tree of life are special and demonstrate the high artistic level of this master of the arts. The rugs feature various gardens with different animals, mainly birds, finely woven into both the main field and the edge of the rugs. Another design created by Shoreshi is the central medallion with Shah Abbas style on the background and edges. Shoreshi reintroduced this design in Isfahan which had not been used since Safavid times. But he did it in a more refined and delicate format, using ivory on the background. This style with a lighter colored background influenced many Isfahan artists who continue to employ this design to this day.<\/p>\n<p>Agha Ahmadi Ajami was, after Shoreshi, the leading carpet artist in Isfahan in the pre-Seirafian period before the 1930s. His carpets became so famous and his influence was such that he influenced a whole generation of Isfahan carpets, being called &#8221; Ahmadi&#8221; in his honor. However, those that contain his signature are extremely rare to find.<\/p>\n<p>Ahmadi created several designs. A well-known style is the medallion featuring delicate Shah Abbas palm trees with flowers, leaves and vines. Another well-known Ahmadi rug style is the so-called tree of life design, with birds and animals. Ahmad&#8217;s Tree of Life rugs are of high quality and are valuable in the antique market today. However, his specialty was pictorial themes inspired by figures from Persian history and mythology.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"fig-auto-img\" style=\"margin:2.4em auto;text-align:center;\"><span class=\"fig-mat\" style=\"display:inline-flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;box-sizing:border-box;width:300px;height:300px;max-width:100%;background:transparent;padding:0;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"672\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/figalli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/A_pictorial_Isfahan_rug_signed_Ahmad_Esfahani_central_Persia_circa_1900-672x1024-nobg.webp\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/figalli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/A_pictorial_Isfahan_rug_signed_Ahmad_Esfahani_central_Persia_circa_1900-672x1024-nobg.webp 672w, https:\/\/figalli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/A_pictorial_Isfahan_rug_signed_Ahmad_Esfahani_central_Persia_circa_1900-scaled-1200x1827.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/figalli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/A_pictorial_Isfahan_rug_signed_Ahmad_Esfahani_central_Persia_circa_1900-197x300.jpg 197w, https:\/\/figalli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/A_pictorial_Isfahan_rug_signed_Ahmad_Esfahani_central_Persia_circa_1900-768x1170.jpg 768w, https:\/\/figalli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/A_pictorial_Isfahan_rug_signed_Ahmad_Esfahani_central_Persia_circa_1900-1008x1536.jpg 1008w, https:\/\/figalli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/A_pictorial_Isfahan_rug_signed_Ahmad_Esfahani_central_Persia_circa_1900-1345x2048.jpg 1345w, https:\/\/figalli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/A_pictorial_Isfahan_rug_signed_Ahmad_Esfahani_central_Persia_circa_1900-scaled.jpg 1681w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px\" style=\"display:block;max-width:100%;max-height:100%;width:auto;height:auto;\"><\/span><\/figure>\n<p>During the second quarter of the 20th century, two notable masters of Isfahan carpet art were Hekmat Nejad and Haj Agha Reza Seirafian. Hekmat Nejad was an artist known for producing high-quality carpets with floral designs made on a limited scale. This artist&#8217;s production was made exclusively for the Pahlavi monarchy, to be used in their palaces and given as gifts from royalty to ambassadors and foreign officials. Hekmat Nejad rugs are signed in Farsi. They are considered true works of art and are valued in the market today as investment goods.<\/p>\n<p><em>Isfahan signed Hekmat Nejad from 1940. Sold by the Austria Auction Company auction in Vienna for \u20ac22,500<\/em><\/p>\n<figure class=\"fig-auto-img\" style=\"margin:2.4em auto;text-align:center;\"><span class=\"fig-mat\" style=\"display:inline-flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;box-sizing:border-box;width:300px;height:300px;max-width:100%;background:transparent;padding:0;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"646\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/figalli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/H19051-L266082950_original-646x1024-nobg.webp\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/figalli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/H19051-L266082950_original-646x1024-nobg.webp 646w, https:\/\/figalli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/H19051-L266082950_original-189x300.jpg 189w, https:\/\/figalli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/H19051-L266082950_original-768x1217.jpg 768w, https:\/\/figalli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/H19051-L266082950_original.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 646px) 100vw, 646px\" style=\"display:block;max-width:100%;max-height:100%;width:auto;height:auto;\"><\/span><figcaption class=\"fig-cap\" style=\"display:block;font-family:&quot;Cormorant Garamond&quot;,Georgia,serif;font-style:italic;font-size:15px;line-height:1.45;color:#8a7c6a;text-align:center;margin-top:.7em;letter-spacing:.02em;\">Isfahan signed M. Hossein Seirafian, 1950. Sold at Christie\u2019s London auction for \u00a315,000<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Haj Agha Reza Seirafian (1881-1975) was another master from Isfahan. The work started by this artist gave his family the highest reputation in the carpet industry. In 1939, this respected banker, investor and collector decided to enter the rug business. After purchasing two unfinished rugs from an artist who owed him money, Reza Seirafian finished the remaining work and embarked on a quest to improve the weaving standards of the time. Seirafian was an innovator who tripled the knot count from an average of 270 per square inch to over 500 knots. By using the best materials, designers and artists, the rug that became known as Seirafian innovated by creating a new standard of quality and elegance.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"fig-auto-img\" style=\"margin:2.4em auto;text-align:center;\"><span class=\"fig-mat\" style=\"display:inline-flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;box-sizing:border-box;width:300px;height:300px;max-width:100%;background:transparent;padding:0;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"455\" height=\"739\" src=\"https:\/\/figalli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Isfahanss-nobg.webp\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/figalli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Isfahanss-nobg.webp 455w, https:\/\/figalli.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Isfahanss-185x300.png 185w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 455px) 100vw, 455px\" style=\"display:block;max-width:100%;max-height:100%;width:auto;height:auto;\"><\/span><\/figure>\n<p>The quality of this master&#8217;s work is considered unsurpassed. Seirafian produced carpets with Shah Abbas motifs, scenic landscapes, delicate floral and hunting motifs. His figurative designs include a variety of birds, exotic animals, and human figures. The Seirafian carpet has a high level of quality due to its materials. The base is made of silk and the fur is made of lamb&#8217;s wool, from the animal&#8217;s chest area, the best quality of wool there is.<\/p>\n<p>Seirafian&#8217;s seven children and 24 grandchildren followed in his footsteps and continued to produce rugs of the same caliber. Today, the name Seirafian is synonymous with luxury, exclusivity and high quality. For three generations and with almost a hundred years of tradition, the masters of the Seirafian family have produced carpets that bear their names and exceed the quality of the standards of the other masters of Isfahan. The legacy left by the masters of the Seirafian family will endure through the creation of their timeless art.<\/p>\n<p data-figalli-links=\"guide-en\"><strong>See the collection:<\/strong> browse our <a href=\"\/en\/categorias\/persians\/\">antique Persian rugs<\/a> &mdash; for example, <a href=\"\/en\/product\/isfahan-central-western-persia\/\">Isfahan<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p data-figalli-related=\"1\"><strong>Related reading:<\/strong> <a href=\"\/en\/rug-education\/kerman-a-persian-garden-inside-your-home\/\">Kerman \u2013 A Persian Garden inside your home<\/a> \u00b7 <a href=\"\/en\/rug-education\/ardabil-the-most-famous-carpet-in-the-world\/\">Ardabil, the most famous carpet in the world<\/a> \u00b7 <a href=\"\/en\/rug-education\/are-heriz-and-serapi-identical-rug-types-or-do-they-exhibit-differences\/\">Are Heriz and Serapi identical rug types, or do they exhibit differences?<\/a> \u00b7 <a href=\"\/en\/rug-education\/how-to-protect-your-antique-oriental-rugs-from-your-pet\/\">How to protect your antique oriental rugs from your pet<\/a> \u00b7 <a href=\"\/en\/rug-education\/revitalizing-your-space-with-antique-rugs\/\">Revitalizing Your Space with Antique Rugs<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"parent":0,"template":"","tipo-de-tapetes":[211],"class_list":["post-11934","guia-tapetes","type-guia-tapetes","status-publish","hentry","tipo-de-tapetes-isfahan-en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/figalli.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/guia-tapetes\/11934","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/figalli.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/guia-tapetes"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/figalli.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/guia-tapetes"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/figalli.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/guia-tapetes\/11934\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20031,"href":"https:\/\/figalli.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/guia-tapetes\/11934\/revisions\/20031"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/figalli.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11934"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"tipo-de-tapetes","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/figalli.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tipo-de-tapetes?post=11934"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}