Lot 152
Triple Arch Bezalel Rug – Abraham's Tamarisk, Mount Sinai and Herzl's Cypress – Jerusalem, 1906 to 1914
Bezalel rug depicting Abraham's Tamarisk, Mount Sinai and Herzl's Cypress. Jerusalem, [ca. 1906 to 1914]. Wool knot-pile; cotton foundation. The carpet depicts a triple arch arcade. In each opening there is a symbol representing one of the forefathers of the Jewish nation and its leaders: Abraham's Tamarisk on the right, Mount Sinai in the center and Herzl's Cedar (presented here, as in many other cases, as a cypress) on the left. A decorated frame surrounds the arcade; the Hebrew inscription "Bezalel Jerusalem" appears on its lower part. In this carpet, the Bezalel designers position Herzl – both physically and metaphorically – in line with Abraham, the nation's forefather, and Moses, its biblical leader. Like Abraham's Tamarisk and Mount Sinai, which symbolizes Moses, the cedar planted by Herzl is depicted on the background of the desert. The border is inscribed "Bezalel Jerusalem."
99x64cm. Good condition. Fringe trimmed. Strap sewn to reverse upper edge.
Reference: Jewish Carpets, by Anton Felton. Woodbridge: Antique Collectors' Club Ltd., 1997, p. 100. Provenance: The Anton Felton Collection.
