Antique Portuguese needlepoint

Object Description

Exquisite symmetry and detail on this mellow antique Portuguese carpet with gentle natural colours of pale blue, gold, navy blue and hints of teal/greens in the delicate flowers.  Such a gorgeous decorative carpet to work a scheme around for a drawing room or bedroom for example.  These Portuguese needlepoints are renowned for their embroidered work in wool on linen. Portugal doesn’t have an extensive history in producing hand-woven carpets although Moorish carpet weavers worked in Portugal until the early 15th century until they were expelled.

Object History

Arraiolos is where these Portuguese needlework carpets are from a town in the province of Alto Alentejo in southern Portugal.  The weave on this needlepoint is Arraiolos long-armed cross-stitch along with hand dyed wool using natural dyes. The Portuguese are also known for weaving specific types of Portuguese rugs that are called Alpujarra Rugs. These floor coverings from Portugal are unique and feature pile in loops, made primarily in Spain from the fifteenth to the nineteenth century in the Alpujarras district,  which is located south of Granada.

Object Condition

The overall look is very good, in lovely order with only the outside looped fringes showing signs of wear in a few areas on one side.  These can be repaired if purchased, our workshop has completed loop fringe repairs many times, and matching the wool and design these can be repaired quite easily.

Object Details