February 7, 2011

“Azerbaijan Carpets” catalogue published by Heydar Aliyev Foundation

“Azerbaijan Carpets” catalogue has been published by Heydar Aliyev Foundation.


The catalogue’s first page opens with words by Mrs Mehriban Aliyeva, the President of Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO and ISESCO, MP. She says: “Carpets are integral part of every Azerbaijani’s life. I think the ancient carpets should be kept in museums”.

 

The catalogue contains entries about the stages of the development of carpet weaving in Azerbaijan. Carpet weaving in Azerbaijan originated in extreme antiquity. And this fact is proved by the Eastern miniatures of the 14th and 15th centuries and also by European artworks. Azeri carpets were admired by the Flemish traveler and missionary Guillaume de Ruysbroeck as well as by the Venetian merchant and explorer Marco Polo. Azeri carpets appeared in the paintings of European artists including Hans Holbein the Younger and Hans Memling, as well as the Italian Renaissance painter Carlo Crivelli, who described Guba and Shirvan carpets in their works.

 

The catalogue also offers views on carpet weaving schools in Guba, Baku, Shirvan, Ganca, Gazakh, Garabagh, Tabriz and Nakhchyvan, photographs of Mughan, Chelebi, Fakhraly, Chyragly carpets.