Bergama carpet, late 19th century.
Detail.
Famous painters from the 15th and 16th century often used images from carpet patterns from Northwest-Anatolia (under which Bergama) on their paintings: e.g. Hans Memling (1433-1494), Domenico Ghirlandaio (1449-1494) and Hans Holbein the Younger (1497-1543). The oldest preserved Bergama carpet is known to date from the 15th century (now in the Türk ve Islam Müzesi in Istanbul).
Although the antique Bergama rugs have a wool warp and weft, later Bergama carpets (like this one) have a cotton warp and weft, and (of course) wool knots of the Gordian/Turkish type.
Correspondent: J.M.Criel, Antwerpen.
Sources: ‘Oriental Rugs, volume 4: Turkish’ (Zipper & Fritzsche)
& Websites of ‘vanderhulsttapijten.nl’ & ‘nazmiyalantiquerugs.com’ .