Polonaise carpets are known for their colorful patterns, exquisite materials and craftsmanship, and are among the more stately classic patterns to return to popularity over the past few years. This isn't particularly surprising as these rugs have caught the eye of admirers since their emergence in the early 17th Century, being "rediscovered" time and time again. This week we will delve into the history of these treasures and wander from Poland, to Paris, and eventually back to Persia as we unravel the story of their enduring aesthetic.
The Czartoryski Polonaise
7'2" x 15'2"
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The first resurgence of Polonaise carpets begins when an exiled Polish activist and nobleman named Prince Jerzy Czartoryski fled Poland along with his family's extensive collection of possessions, cultural artifacts, and acquired art works after the failed November Uprising in 1830. Among this collection were the Renaissance masterpieces Lady with an Ermine by Leonardo da Vinci and Portrait of a Young Man by Raphael.
Upon arriving in Paris and purchasing the Hotel Lambert, Jerzy fashioning it as the Living Museum of Poland and a sort of ark of Polish culture and sophistication. The hotel also became the headquarters for the Polish government-in-exile after what became known as The Great Emigration and subsequent dissolving of Poland by Tsarist Russia, The Kingdom of Prussia, and the Habsburg Monarchy of Austria.
Polish coat of arms seen in the Czartoryski Polonaise
Eventually, Jerzy's son Prince Ladislaus Czartoryski assumed stewardship of his family's outstanding collection and used it to curate the "Polish Room" during the 1865 Parisian Exposition of Decorative Arts. Onlookers found themselves drawn to the exquisite carpets that seamlessly merged with the Baroque style, which had recently taken Paris by storm.
Contemporary Produced 9x12 Polonaise II by Turquoise Mountain
As much of the public were seeing these ornate rugs for the first time, with their fine silks and threads wrapped in precious metals such as gold and silver, with some incorporating Polish coat of arms into the designs, many onlookers just assumed the rugs must have been made in Poland. Henceforth, these rugs became known as tapis Polonais by the general public and in the accounts of the exhibition. The designs were copied and influenced many contemporary textiles.
Very unusual 5'6" round Polonaise Redbridge from Jan Kath Rugs
More learned study of rugs and carpets in the late 19th and early 20th Century found that these carpets were commissioned in 1601 and placed them as originating from the court of Shah Abbas and produced in Persian weaving centers, mostly in the Safavid house workshops in the city of Isfahan. Often given as diplomatic gifts as examples of Persian culture and luxury, these rugs became treasured in the collections of Europeans who enjoyed their exotic opulence and lavish exclusivity of possession. An estimated 250 examples of true period "Polonaise" carpets survive to this day, resigned to museums and private collections.
Polonaise Eastcote 8x10 from Jan Kath
In modern times, the Polonaise carpet has been rediscovered yet again by contemporary carpet producers, some seeking to bring the patterns into the modest modern home and others seeing the designs as a canvas to be interpreted and expanded upon.
Polonaise Greenford Sky 8x10 from Jan Kath
The Greenford Sky 8x10 from Jan Kath takes the classic Polonaise style and overlays it with a higher pile of pure silk with an almost misty, cloud-like effect. Come see this, or any of the other rugs we have in stock. We also specialize in made-to-order and custom designed rugs.