Description
Large Manastir Prayer Kilim
Ottoman Balkans, possibly Macedonia or Bulgaria
Circa 1890–1920
Wool wefts on cotton warps
210 × 105 cm
A large and unusually imposing example of the Manastir group, distinguished by its monumental dark prayer niche, strongly serrated architectural outlines, restrained Balkan palette and richly patterned end panels. The surface displays extensive age-related wear and probable corrosion in the dark field, together with minor losses and fraying at the ends, but the complete composition and both decorative end panels remain legible.
