Carpets of Israel: Bezalel-Jerus Rugs of Jerusalem’s Arts and Crafts Movement
When most people think of Oriental carpets, Israel doesn’t come to mind. Yet there is a distinctly Jewish style of Oriental rug, developed by the arts-and-crafts-inspired Bezalel Academy in early 20th century Jerusalem.
The Bezalel Academy operated from 1906 to 1929, aiming to create a distinctly Jewish art form — one that fused European and Middle Eastern influences in a way that uniquely expressed the Jewish experience. The resulting body of work included paintings, etchings, metal, wood and leather-work, and some very interesting carpets.
The Bezalel rugs focus on Holy Land themes, and often depict sites with religious significance. Perhaps the most iconic carpet design of the movement is a pictorial rendition of Rachel’s Tomb.
Although classic Israeli carpets are very expensive and hard to come by, a small batch of quality reproductions has recently entered the market. Woven Legends, a Turkish production that in our opinion makes some of the very best new handmade Oriental rugs today, has produced a limited set of these Jewish rugs. Not content to simply copy the designs of known Bezalel pieces, Woven Legends consulted with Anton Felton, a top scholar of Bezalel art and author of Jewish Carpets, to get the details of these rugs just right.
We think they’re pretty awesome.
Oriental Rug Salon is SW Florida’s most respected Oriental, wool and silk area rug cleaning and repair company. We are a Certified Partner with the prestigious Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) and the international Carpet & Rug Institute (CRI). In addition we are A+ rated with the Better Business Bureau and Angie’s List and our technicians are certified by the world’s most respected certification body for textile professionals.
For more information on Oriental Rug Salon please visit us online at www.OrientalRugSalon.com or call us any time at 239-424-8171.
Oriental Rug Cleaning | Wool Area Rug Cleaning | Silk Area Rug Cleaning |
Oriental Rug Cleaning Cape Coral | Fort Myers | North Fort Myers | Fort Myers Beach | Sanibel | Punta Gorda | Lehigh Acres | Alva | Buckingham | Estero | Bonita Springs | Naples | Marco Island
