At times the classic Bijar design takes on the quality of a window opening onto deep space, as in this carpet. Since the cornerpieces with their lavish allover Herati mesh became so large, the designers sought to balance the effect by restricting the diamond-shaped field to a light colored, abrashed void containing only the richly patterned central medallion, which then appears to float within an infinite vista. To western thinking, carpets are considered to be a two-dimensional design phenomenon. But in the hands of master designers and weavers, they suggest a great deal more.
