Nain_Carpet

RAW MATERIALS. With the reputation it has won in world markets, Na'in carpet does not belong to the category in which the use of coarse Iranian wool may be seen as an advantage. Na'in carpet wool is of a delicate type with a high proportion of the finer quality known as soft-pile or "fleece" wool, obtained from fully pure new wool and with a fineness above the normal standards of Iranian wool. Na'in is thus one of the rare cases of the use of soft wool of non - Iranian origin in Persian carpetry.

Pattern and Design. The most original patterns used in Na'in carpets are composed of those traditionally recognized as Shah-Abbasi ( with floral and leaf motifs mainly in the form of lotus blossoms ), Eslimi (arabesque) corner-medallion, ornate pendants and other patterns associated with Iranian traditional folk arts. Such proper use of traditional patters with special colouring has won Na'in carpet a distinction - an extraordinary identity - that is recognized the world over. There are other traditional patterns and designs artistically worked into the carpet that are referred to by special terms in the Persian arts lexicon, for example: Gonbad ( i.e., dome, depicting the inner surface of a dome), Haj Khanomi ( depicting a window to garden ), Derakhti ( tree forms ), Ghabi ( panel ), Mehrabi ( mihrab or nitche ), Moharramat ( featuring parallel, usually vertical strips ), Afshan ( overall repetition ), Latchak-Toranj ( corner - medallion ), Katibe'i ( inscription ), and Tarikhai ( historical monuments ).

Na'in Carpet Designer

Wali - Allah Shahr'i is a well-known Na'in artist born in 1938. Initially trained in Isfahan under Master Ahmad Archang, ther famous Isfahani designer, he later set up his own workshop in Na'in and has been working there since 1960. He speaks affectionately of his mother who, herself was a carpet weaver, taught him a love for carpet at the early stages of his life. Presently, her daughter helps him in sketching designs. Among his other assistants are the Mohseni brothers, which are his brother in law. They help him with dot-painting the sketch. Shar'i's skill in drawing overall corner-medallion, Shah-Abbasi, and animal-forest patterns is widely acknowledged and his designs are woven onto high-value carpets.

Reza Yusefpour , born in 1939, has spent over 40 years in his profession. He has extensive skills in designs of Isfahani origin and his designs are used on the carpets made in Habibian workshop - a leading carpet producer in Na'in. Yusefpour has an assistant for dot-painting the sketches. His other assistants work in another workshop beside Habibian's old but charming house that also includes dyeing and darning.

Habibian, Na'in designer and producer

The name of Habibian Brothers is a glittering one on the Iranian art of carpet weaving. Fatollah Habibian is widely acknowledged as the father of Na'in carpet. One can only talk in full admiration about a person whose carpets are as graceful and glamorous as there best products made anywhere in Iran, and felicitous carriers of the country's name. Showing us a few samples of his magnificent carpets, he not only ushered us, as it were, through a gate to Paradise, but also reinforced our belief that it is possible to reach the pinnacle of beauty with even limited design and colour. The Na'in artist-producer, born in 1903, knotted his first cartoon-based carpet when he was a school boy. He sold that carpet in Isfahan for 100 Tomans-- a fortune at the time. Following the recession in the aba ( cloak ) trade, he and his brother Mohammad, who died in 1986, started up the business of carpet weaving in their father's aba workshop around 1920. Like many other informed people, Habibian believed that the delicacy of the weave and texture of Na'in carpet is the off-spring of Na'ini workers' aba weaving skill. Beside being skilful in weaving, Habibian was the designer of many of his own carpets. Fatollah Habibian was deeply devoted to his profession. Even in his late years and despite ailments, he still worked hard and maintained a strong attitude in favour of many of his designs.