The New England Rug Society recently presented Brian Morehouse on yastiks, long train of them follows. First let's do what he omitted to do, after a mumbled sentence, explain what they are! Experts tend to forget we don't all know the terms.
They're an old form of Turkish cushion, created for personal and commercial use for centuries in Anatolia. He is not into dating the rugs, but did say these cover centuries. They're not cut-down rugs, but purpose woven, a couple of feet square.
There are recurring designs and motifs, with varied theories on meaning. The square motifs on the borders of some of them are lappets, again various theories on their significance and message. Just enjoy watching them unfold!
The people in the photographs are makers of yastiks, in their home surroundings.
And the little rug shop image is part of the announcement of an in-person meeting next year in California, to see and handle some of his collection.
This kind of post is to share possible design ideas for fiber arts projects and maybe you've seen these designs, original or reproduced, and it's interesting to see them in context. Also to see them depicted in Renaissance art, in action.
