Turkish Prayer Rug 1917

This beautiful mid-20th century Anatolian village rug showcases a classic prayer design brought to vivid, saturated life with a palette of extraordinary boldness and energy. The striking central medallion, rendered in luminous yellow and framed by intricate red motifs, sits atop a brilliant red field that radiates the warmth and vitality for which the finest Anatolian village rugs are celebrated. Deep purple corner spandrels provide a striking, unexpected contrast that lifts the entire composition.

The small scale of this piece — barely larger than a mat — belies its visual authority: the confident color choices and bold geometric vocabulary give it a presence far beyond its dimensions. The Anatolian prayer rug tradition is one of the most ancient and spiritually resonant in the entire textile world. The mihrab — the arched niche that orients the rug toward Mecca — gives these rugs their distinctive directional quality and their connection to the devotional life of Islam. Village prayer rugs of the 19th and early 20th century are among the most personal and expressive textiles ever made, each a unique expression of the individual weaver's artistic sensibility within a form of deep religious significance.

Dimensions: 1' 6" x 3' 1"

Date of Manufacture: 2nd Quarter of the 1900s

Place of Origin: Turkey (Anatolia)

Material: Wool pile on a wool foundation

Condition: Wear consistent with age and use

SKU: 1917