Ontwerp voor een tapijt c. 1854 - 1864

This is an anonymous design for a carpet, a vibrant tableau of repeating floral and paisley motifs. The paisley, or "boteh," is the dominant symbol here, a droplet-shaped motif that winds its way through the ages. Originally a symbol of life and eternity in ancient Persia, it appears in the far reaches of Kashmir shawls, embodying status and wealth. This motif isn't merely decorative; it's a symbol laden with journeys, transformations, and a cultural adaptation that speaks to the collective human story. Consider the emotional resonance: the hypnotic repetition, the evocation of verdant gardens, a yearning for paradise lost. The mind reels, tracing the symbol's path across continents and centuries. The paisley motif, once a symbol of life's essence, now resurfaces in our modern age, reminding us of the cyclical nature of symbols, and the ways in which the past continually blooms in the present.