Description Azeri Shaddah
212 x 173 cm (6’ 11” x 5’ 8”)
Azerbaijan, 19th century
Condition: very good, minor small repairs
Warp: wool, weft: wool
Fabulous example of a flat woven horse or camel Shaddah (Persian for cover) from the southern Caucasus. There are quite a few covers known with camel caravans but in this form, it is an exceedingly rare example. Wonderful lively drawing of horses with riders, goats, sheep and a few birds. Other examples can appear stiff and monochromatic but here the coloration radiates happiness.
An abundance of filling motifs is giving depth and a feel of exuberance especially when compared with later pieces when the ‘horror vacui’ feels rigid and oppressive.
The fact that the herd is walking towards each other rather than marching all in one direction is underpinning the liveliness of the Shadda. A similar effect can be observed in a small light blue ground example which sold a Skinner Boston in 2003, see Hali 129 page 112.