HALI NEWSLETTER No. 480

[View this email in your browser]( 'The Great Mughals: Art, Architecture and Opulence' at the V&A features introductory speeches on 6 November, a preview of the exhibition which opens on 9 November. One of the first major exhibitions highlighting the artistic achievements of the 'Golden Age' of the Mughal court, it showcases rare and significant textiles, paintings and a variety of fine objects. For more information, visit the [Victoria and Albert Museum]( website. Image: Portrait of Shah Jahan holding an emerald by Muhammad 'Abed, 1628. Victoria and Albert Museum Until 30 November, Grizedale Forest in Cumbria is hosting '86 Baskets', an exploration into the art of split-wood basketry through the experience of seven basketmakers and their tutor, Lorna Singleton. Read an account by HALI's Rachel Meek—who participated in Singleton’s year-long Wood Water Weave course—explaining her attraction to this heritage craft, in the Autumn 2024 edition of HALI. Visit [Forestry England]( for more details on the exhibition and [Lorna Singleton]( for Wood Water Weave 2025 course details. From 9 November, the William Morris Gallery honours the influence of Islamic art on William Morris and British interiors. Renowned for his exquisite carpets, embroideries and wallpapers, the designer found great inspiration within Islamic designs. The exhibition features over 60 of Morris' works, alongside his own collection of Islamic artefacts. For more information, visit the [William Morris Gallery.]( Image: Quilt facing, Turkey, late 17th century. Birmingham Museums Trust. For this month’s #RugFactFriday, we begin our exploration of ‘Polonaise’ rugs. In HALI 221, our latest issue, Michael Franses delves into the significance of a previously unrecorded ‘Polonaise’ rug, brought to light during a HALI tour. The uncovering of this 'Polonaise' sparked great excitement, as fresh examples of these rugs are rediscovered only on occasion. Initially, HALI editor Ben Evans's interest was piqued by a black and white thumbnail image in the online records of the Museo Arqueológico Nacional in Madrid; the HALI tour group then encountered it in the museum's stores during their visit in April 2024. Franses emphasizes the ‘extraordinary prices’ that so-called 'Polonaise' often fetch at auctions, an example being lot 200 from Christie's most recent auction which sold for £945,000 on 24 October 2024. For the most part, 'Polonaise' rugs were made on a foundation of cotton, knotted with silk pile. Certain areas are brocaded in silk, with wrapped silver thread. Attention is then drawn to the history of this rug type: ‘It is believed that, in the early 17th century, a fully commercial operation was run by Armenians in Esfahan using local weavers. The shah had transported many Armenians from the town of Julfa in Azarbayjan Province to a particular quarter of Esfahan known as New Julfa. The Armenian community, with its extensive contacts in the Muscovite, Ottoman and Polish-Lithuanian countries, brought vast sums to the Safavid court, in particular through the trade in silk from Gilan on the southern coast of the Caspian Sea. ‘Polonaise’ rugs from Esfahan were just one more commodity. The full article can be accessed with a digital subscription to HALI, which occurs automatically with a normal subscription to the magazine, or which can be bought separately. Image: ‘Polonaise’ carpet fragment, Esfahan, Persia, 17th century. Museo Arqueológico Nacional, Madrid, 1963/57/1 [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Website]( [LinkedIn]( Copyright © 2023 Hali Publications, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: HALI Publications 6 Sylvester Path London, Hackney E8 1EN United Kingdom Want to change how you receive these emails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](. This email was sent to {EMAIL} [why did I get this?]( [unsubscribe from this list]( [update subscription preferences]( Hali Publications Ltd · 6 Sylvester Path · London, England E8 1EN · United Kingdom