Exceptional, rare Moghul carpet late 18th, early 19th centur - Lot 69

Exceptional, rare Moghul carpet late 18th, early 19th century Wool velvet on cotton backing Garnet field decorated with a prayer arch with hanging oil lamp and decorated with a floral basin Beautiful saffron yellow main border decorated with rows of cartouches with floral sprays Wear, oxidation, missing corners 223 x 154 cm Indjoudjian family collection Paris . Prayer rugs with arches and flowers in the center appeared at the end of the 16th century with Indian Art, marking the beginning of the Mogul period, parallel to the Safavid dynasty of Persia. Iranian weavers went to India to weave carpets that were more sophisticated than Persian carpets. In the early 17th century, three examples of this type of prayer, with flowers (such as the one presented in this sale), were identified. 1) the Mac Mulan ( New York Metropolitan) 2) the Paravicini 3) and the Doha ( Qatar) With simple colors, in the same spirit, with silky wools. Strangely, for a hundred years they disappeared, perhaps, we haven't found any... And it wasn't until the second half of the 18th. century that examples were found, notably a mille fleurs (former Hermann collection, sold at Christies in London for over £500,000) in pachmina silk wool. They then reworked wall ceramics, architecture, shawls, fabrics and carpets, notably in the shape of Saf (repetitive prayer mirhabs) at the request of the English, who were very fond of their decorations (which they ordered for Europe). They were made in Deccan (pronounced Deccani, a vast plateau in India), in present-day Kashmir, divided between Pakistan, which was part of India before its independence, and India. The simplicity and beauty of this carpet is enhanced by the rare saffron yellow color of its border and its age.