Antique Donegal Irish Rug. 10 ft 2 in x 10 ft 4 in (3.1 m x 3.15 m)

Delicate blue and a garden of color greet you with this elegant antique Irish Donegal rug. The popularity of Persian and Oriental carpets around the turn of the 20th century meant a resurgence in the popularity of these designs in many areas of the world. Many areas that were not formerly known as carpet producing cities began producing carpets that were inspired by traditional Persian designs.

Donegal, Ireland is one of these areas that began producing carpets in the early 1900’s. This antique Celtic Irish carpet was produced in the 1920’s. The distinctively Persian design also shows an Art Deco influence. Donegal carpets were created specifically to complement Arts and Crafts style architecture that was popular from the 1900’s to the 1920’s. These homes and offices featured hardwoods and classic lines. Some of them showed and Art Deco influence with scroll work plaster work and stained glass windows. Donegal carpets have a Victorian feel with their floral designs that meander in all directions, filling the antique Donegal Irish carpet with color.

This demonstrates a Persian influence in the overall layout, but it has a distinctive art character that places it in the Arts and Crafts or Art Deco movement. The shapes are reduced to their simplest form, with only subtle shading to give them depth. The visual impact of the carpet comes from the gorgeous blue background and the contrasting flowers in warm colors. The treatment of the flowers and leaves gives them an almost abstract, or modern feel.

The colors of the carpet are bright and vibrant, almost feeling as if you are looking through a canopy of flowers at a bright, blue summer sky. This breathtaking antique carpet is divided into a field and border that carry the floral motif throughout the entirety of the design. This gives it unity throughout, but the smaller florals in the border make it look as it the central design is surrounded by a delicate haze. This a true collector’s piece that would work beautifully in an Art Deco, Arts and Crafts or contemporary home or office. It is a beautiful and versatile carpet.