Rug 17th century

This sumptuous rug was crafted by the Savonnerie Manufactory, a French workshop renowned for its luxurious textiles. Its surface teems with a multitude of flowers, their forms rendered with exquisite detail. But let us delve into these floral motifs, symbols laden with meaning. Flowers, throughout history, have been emblems of life, beauty, and transience. In the Renaissance, we see them gracing portraits, each bloom carefully chosen to convey virtues or attributes. The symbolic language of flowers, deeply embedded in our collective memory, speaks of love, grief, and remembrance. Consider how the meaning of the rose, for example, has shifted from a symbol of Venus to a symbol of secrecy and later romantic love. The arrangement of these flowers in a circle evokes the cyclical nature of life and death, a potent reminder of our mortality. Such arrangements tap into deep-seated fears and desires, engaging the viewer on a subconscious level. The floral motif, born from the depths of human imagination, resurfaces across cultures and epochs, an eternal reminder of nature’s beauty and our own fleeting existence.