Patterns of Inspiration

For centuries, the colorful carpets that have been woven in Central Asia and the Near East have been featured in paintings by artists from western cultures. The most well-known examples are those by European painters such as Hans Holbein, Giovanni Bellini, Hans Memling and Jan van Eyck, whose depictions of the rugs are often important records of early weaving styles.

While the Huntington Museum of Art does not have the good fortune to own any of those iconic paintings, it does have several artworks that feature rugs from a variety of world cultures.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website.