PERSIAN ART

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 51, Issue 128, 12 March 1931, Page 3

PERSIAN ART

FAMOUS CARPETS OF THE WORLD EXHIBITION IN LONDON. I' (Written for “The Guardian” by Nellie M. Scanlan.) LONDON, January 15. For eighteen pence, to-day in London, you may see all the most famous carpets in the world—the Persian carpets of history and legend. Perhaps I should not include legend, for there are no flying carpets here. You might spend thousands of pounds searching the. wprld for these treasures, and not see half the number that are at your door for a modest Is 6d. They have been gathered from the palaces, mosques, temples and museums of the world, and pooled into the Academy in Piccadilly. This yearly exhibition of national art of some foreign country, which London stages in the dull days of winter, is of immense interest. Apart from the art itself, something of the character of the country and its people is expressed through the medium of its art, that is not always detected in other contacts.

To the outside world which knows little of the real Persia v it is associated in mind with love lyrics and Persian gardens. This might suggest a voluptuous not in art. The art of Persia is no personal art. It is not in pictures and portraits that you see the history of this country, but in carpets, in tapestry, in silken gauge, in pottery, metal and jewel work, and the illustrated texts of its wonderful old manuscripts. Strange geometrical and abstract patterns, fighting beasts, birds, wild animals, elongated lions, like worms with mane and legs, and dancers seem to have supplied the principal motif for Persian art. Their instinct for colour is impeccable and added to tlieir skill at design, they have contrived fabrics and* carpets unrivalled in any country or time. Some of the earliest pottery and me•fal work dates back over 3000 years B.C. Even in primitive times, there was a delicacy, an elegance of design that distinguishes i.t from its neighbours. As I passed from room to room, from century to century, the outstanding memory was blue. I have never seen so many i<nd marvellous blues—the blue of the Persian skies, the blue ol lapis lazuli, of torquoise, of water, all blended harmoniously together, and with wonderful shades of green, henna, soft mauve, rose-reds. Perhaps the Persian exhibition will I have a civilising effect upon some modern artists whose colours run riot, and who miss this exquitite blending of even tones, which these old Persians achieved. The colours in their carpets may have mellowed, hut their paintings and enamels are unchanged. To see a couple of beautiful carpets in a house, is in itself most satisfying. But to walk through gallery after gallery, where all the walls are liung with famous carpets, is, I regret to say, to reach saturation point in a short time. Many of the carpets are old, centuries old, faded, soiled, darned often badly darned, patched with add colours. Still they are treasures without price. . ‘ Take the twelve-sided carp'et from the, shrine at Qum, lent by the Persian Government. It is probably 30 feet across, in light blue, white, crimson, and yellow. It is “a knotted silk pile on a silken warp.” This is specially famous, blit only one of many. I do not know how many “knots to the inch” it is, but it is one of the finest

conceivable. Among the manuscripts .is the original from, which Fitzgerald translated Omar Khayyam. For the ordinary visitor, no doubt, the jewels will be the strongest attraction. Set in a glass case, protected by an ray, these examples of Oriental splendour are like something out of a fairy tale. The invisible rav, which is a burglar alarm rings bells, closes doors and does the work of a battalion of police, as soon as any one steps inside (ho protecting rail, behind which you stand. These jewels are a tempting dish for any burglar. There is a great round shield, set with emeralds as large as the ordinary matchbox, crystals, and pink tourmalines as big as pullets eggs. These precious stones are so huge that their very size seems to destroy their value in our sight. It is hard to believe they are real,' but of course, they are. A large gold incense burner, overlaid with amost exquisite enamel, was set with cabochon jewels, and the knob was a pearshaped emerald the size of a thimble. There were also vases, rose-water sprinklers, dishes, bowls, platters of gold and enamel studded with jewels, and emeralds seemed the popular type of knob or stopper in the best Persian circles. ' Marvellous daggers were there, encrusted with precious stones, and torquoise were sprinkled everywhere, like millions-and-thousands on a child s cake. One dagger had ail emerald handle six inches long. Had I been given my choice, there were two I would have chosen from these treasures. One was the top of a water-pipe, the size of an inverted cup. It was of gold, enamelled with the most exquisite miniature portraits and flowers. Jt was beautilul beyond belief. The other' piece 1 coveted was a man s belt of mother-of-pearl set with emeralds. The buckle was in the form of a duck’s bead in g</ld and emeralds, and the sword holder had a similar design on the medallion. The belt was made of inch sqftares of motlier-ol-pearl, and in the centre of each square

was a delicate leaf design in emeralds. One tiling that struck me iorceably, was the Mongolian cast ol most faces in the beautifully miniatures that- decorated the manuscripts. And the Chinese design in landscape and tree was constantly recurring. Bilizad is the great artist of Persia, and most of the finest painting is attributed to Many of the fabrics, the silks and gauges, were woven with fine thread ot real silver and gold—threads as lino as the silk itself. Much of this was old. some mere fragments displayed under glass. Persia is a high plateau, a barren, austere country, its town® separated bv long distances and connected with primitive transportation. For centuries Persia has not changed. Until the discovery of oil and the sudden development 'of Jhis profitable factor, Persia remained stationary for centuries. But Persia was far ahead of England in art and civilisation in the 9th and 10th centuries, from which date she had scarcely changed. The present exhibition of Persian art is the first opportunity given to the eastern world to see something oi its work and culture. Yet, somehow, I do not think it will prove as popular with the general public as that or Holland and Italy. Though exquisite, it is remote and impersonal.