Large Red Ushak with Medallion

Ushak rugs in Turkish Usak are very famous rugs made in the city Usak north of Denizli. Rugs highly prized by the court of Istambul, which commissioned several especially large ones. They were also the rugs of Venetian and Genoese merchants who had established a kind of maritime trade monopoly with the Turks, bringing early trade from the East to Italian ports. The decorative installations of the Ushaks are varied and can be star, grid or keyhole. Made wool on wool with asymmetrical knots they still remain highly prestigious rugs. Rich in color, Ushaks are rugs of great decoration and high value, highly sought after by collectors are displayed in major museums. Ushaks have been popular since the 18th and 19th centuries, also made to order for the European market. The rug we present from the late 19th century comes from a Florentine residence, where this carpet, probably specially made, completely covered the main hall.