Antique Rug from the Jerusalem by Bezalel Art Schoo. 4′ 9″ x 7′ 9″

Initially this lovely antique Bezalel impresses the viewer as a design of oriental derivation and to some extent its details are indeed Persian. But much of the feeling is European, Art Nouveau, or even neo-medieval Arts & Crafts, recalling the designs and the coloration of William Morris wallpapers, with their swaying floral forms pulsating with life and energy. This piece testifies to the eclectic origins of the Bezalel weavers and designers, reflecting their European as well as Oriental heritage.

(Antique Bezalel carpets were produced in the earlier 20th century as part of a new art school for Jewish immigrants in what was then British-ruled Palestine. Founded by Boris Schatz from Bulgaria in conjunction with Zionist pioneer Theodore Herzl, the school and its workshop in Jerusalem were intended to provide an artistic outlet for Jewish artists, and to encourage them to fuse their European traditions with those of their oriental homeland. True to this inspiration, the Bezalel rug workshop drew upon a wide range of Oriental rug designs, while often exploring folk art traditions from the west as well, but always adhering to a high artistic and technical standard.)