CONVERSATION PIECE
“…the customer is always right…”
The Spanish Holbein is another carpet from one of my classic revival projects. It was inspired by a piece that was made in Spain somewhere between 1490 and 1510, more-or-less at the beginning of the Inquisition and the expulsion of the Moors.
Obviously, the name of this carpet ‘Spanish Holbein” is an oxymoron. What possible connection can there be between Hans Holbein, the famous 16th century Renaissance German artist, and a carpet made in Spain?
The answer is surprisingly simple.
In a number of his portraits, Holbein would use an oriental carpet to enhance or add texture to a background. Moreover, one would be discretely placed into a scene, but not too discretely because the sitter wanted it to be noticed. Possessing something as rare and exotic as a carpet from the Orient was as much a testament to his wealth and success as it was to his sophistication.
Over time, when carpets similar to the ones depicted in his paintings came on to the market, they were called Holbein’s and for the reason already mentioned, other Renaissance artists like Lorenzo Lotto and Hans Memling had particular carpet styles named after them.
Up until the end of the 15th Century, carpets from Spain were woven by the Moorish ateliers and they were directly influenced by those produced around the Ottoman empire. However, by the time the Spanish Holbein was created, the carpets from the region were taking on a more Renaissance, European look.
The medallions were not geometrised as they had been previously, but curvilinear, more graceful and the colours used were far more subtle in tone than those made by the Moors. However, the real surprise for me with this carpet, and what makes it such a delight, is the most intriguing border.
With this piece, the border is not just something woven around the edge to direct the focus towards the exquisitely drawn medallions. Not at all - the border in the Spanish Holbein is a thing of beauty, a work of art in itself.
If you look closely, you will notice that the main design element of the border is not in the floral style that you would normally expect. It appears to be a chalice with winged creatures either side, almost as if they are guarding it (are they griffons, dragons?). And between each repetition of these motifs, almost hidden among the leaves, are what seem to be two more rather fanciful winged creatures.
Furthermore, in each of the four corners is a shield-like device, it may be heraldic or simply another whimsical creation by the weaver. Either way, this seemingly insignificant little design created a surprising problem for us when the first pieces came off the looms.
Unfortunately, some of our customers, even though they absolutely loved this carpet, felt that this pale coloured geometric motif was a distraction to the eye, creating an imbalance in the overall harmony of the design, and insisted that it be removed from their future orders.
In the end, all we could say was that “the customer is always right”, and so it was removed, albeit reluctantly. Left to my own devices I would have kept it as it was.
But down through the ages, carpet weaving has always been subject to the dictates of fashion and the whims of the customer, and it is still the case today.
Of course, it’s the old saw isn’t it, that “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”? To my eye, with or without the shields, the Spanish Holbein is exactly what the weaver intended, a unique carpet that is beautifully composed, elegantly proportioned, and by any standards, remarkable.