Strolling through the streets of Bukhara I noticed that every other shop was one selling beautiful rugs. The wares spilt on to the streets and were hung on great poles. I spotted these two draught players sitting outside the shop at noon when sales were obviously slow. I knew who was winning from their expressions. The old man who might have been the referee watched intently.
The artistry and beauty of the silk rugs of Bukhara established Uzbekistan at the crossroads of the world- famous Silk Road which once spanned half the globe. Each carpet can take up to 6 to 12 months to complete with more than a million hand-tied knots per square meter, truly mind-boggling.
The typical traditional caps worn by the men in Uzbekistan are the Uzbek tubeteika, a ubiquitous and integral part of the Uzbek national costume. The name “tubeteika” derives from the Turkish word meaning “a top, a summit” and goes back unchanged to at least the 15th-16th centuries.
The common form of the Uzbek tubeteika is tetrahedral, slightly conical and embroidered with silk, gold or silver threads often in the form of almonds (badom) or capsicum, Uzbek symbols for protection from evil spirits. I have portrayed these unique caps in the picture
Original: Oil on canvas ; 12 x 16″ (305 x 410mm) ; framed
Limited Edition Print : Available as Giclee print on finest quality paper or canvas. International shipment
Sizes available: 8 x 12″(203 x 305 mm); 12 x 16″(305 x 410mm); 18 x 24″(457 x 610 mm); 24 x 32″ (610 x 813mm)
For list of prices, details of paper or canvas and pigments used, please get in touch via contact form
Will post rolled up in a tube with Certificate of Authenticity, number of the print and artist’s signature.
