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Grammar of an Ancient Pattern Composition

Even before the Christian era, traders traveled along the Silk Road, bringing Eastern and Western art, culture and science into contact with each other. One of the most important Western ports where these changes took place was Venice.

From this center the ideas and hidden philosophies that lay behind the artistic expressions spread to all directions.

The symbolic expression of this 'center' has been portrayed by several art forms from the ancient period with a 'central point'.

In ancient Persian pattern design - from metalwork to carpet - and in architecture (in the form of domes), and in garden design (in the form of basins) - this 'central point' was a common thread. It is described as the infinite Force that connects everything and sets everything in motion: a movement starts from the center outward and then moves outwards towards the center.

This representation of the point of (infinite) 'movement' and 'connection' is on Persian metal plates from the ancient had been engraved (Fig. 1A), and later on was applied by Leonardo Da Vinci. It was called 'Leonardo's Knot'. (fig. 1B)

The 'movement' represents 'thinking' and 'consciousness'. This was the basis of life. According to Descartes' statement: Cogito, ergo sum ('I think, therefore I am')

From this idea the composition of flowers in the patterned objects was created. The flowers were conceived in a moving form and in a dancing state. This dancing form in patterns is seen again in miniature drawings, and also in calligraphy, poetry and literature.

To put an artistic link here, between Persia and Holland of the 17th century, I would like to go to the great master Rembrand, who had a lot of interest in Oriental art (he was also collector of it). Rembrand applied certain compositions of the Persian miniature into a number of his etchings. On the other hand, there were Dutch artists working at the Persian court, who introduced perspective and oil painting techniques.

In the 370 year history of Delft Pottery there have certainly been exchanges with Persian ceramic art, where certain elements are recognizable, both as Old Delft (17th century - Delft Persian Blue) and New Delft (1910-1934). The resemblance is especially striking with the color; motif use of geometric, floral patterns and animal figures; and the application of Luster glaze. (fig. 2)

It is interesting to note the influence of Daniel Marot (the French interior designer of Paleis Het Loo) on the development of Delft pottery (Delft Blue White).

 An example of this is the special object of the Palace, the flower pagoda in Queen Mary's bedroom fig.3).

It was always believed that this pottery of stacked vases was inspired by the 15th century Chinese porcelain tower. However, the new data strengthens the suspicion that the design form was influenced by the court architect Daniel Marot. 

In the nineteenth century, a movement arose in England that opposed industrialization within the arts and showed an aspiration for actual industry. They called themselves the Arts and Crafts Movement, which influenced heavily the formation of the Art Nouveau Style, at the end of the 19th century.

This group under the leadership of William Morris found itself enraptured by Persian pattern design. They found that these designs are literally a reflection of nature; and that the Persian artists had well studied the law of nature. And hence, by applying geometric calculations, they were able to create the design on the base material (textile, wood, metal...) in the most proportional, balanced and harmonious way.

It was through this Movement that Persian art was reborn in the West. The (Persian) flower species such as carnation, tulip, iris, ... were used in the pattern designs of wallpaper, floor coverings, textiles and ceramics, with the same composition. In these compositions you often see hanging/moving flowers that connect with silent flowers or leaves. (fig.4)

The 'movement' and the 'connectedness' are expressed here. The 'movement' alternates with the 'stillness' or with the point of 'concentration'.

Another form of composition that produces 'movement' is in the form of ‘repetition' - the repetition of motifs in the pattern design. Through repetition, one increasingly distances oneself from the material and becomes more ecstatic by the beauty of the creation. This effect through recurrence can be compared to the music form of the Bolero. Furthermore, the recurrence creates a sense of infinity - another reference to the infinite Power.

For the element 'infinity' we go to the room of King William III. The wall covering in this room consists of the Kashmir or Paisley motif, in a repetitive composition. Kashmir motif originated from the cypress tree that has a very long life; and that in turn is symbolism for 'infinity' (fig 5).

The 'infinity' is also depicted in a different way in the Persian carpet patterns. The carpet pattern consists of two parts - the inner part, which is a reflection of paradise, and the border, which depicts everyday life. The inner part is left unfinished at the edge, as if the story continues behind the invisible. Paradise is infinite, and one can only observe a piece of it (fig.6).

To make a comparison here with 20th-century Western art representation, we mention Mondrian's neoplastic design principles - the horizontal and vertical compositions - which he rotated 45 degrees to rest 'on the point', without destroying the linear elements in the composition. Mondrian says that the forms are incomplete and cut at the edge of the canvas, suggesting a continuous pictorial narrative that extends beyond the physical boundaries of the canvas (fig.7).

En de symbool van de ‘centrale punt’ in de tapijtkunst komt in de vorm van een centraal medaillon te voorschijn. Bij een bepaalde tapijtontwerp, zoals bij de afgebeelde voorbeeld, is een vierzijdige tuin met een bassin als ‘centrale punt’ te zien, met indeling van vier tuinen, gescheiden door waterwegen die samen de vier tuinen van paradijs vertegenwoordigen.

Men zou kunnen stellen dat de oorsprong van het idee voor het tuinontwerp van Paleis Het Loo een veel oudere geschiedenis heeft. Deze tuinstijl werd namelijk toegeschreven aan de Hangende Tuinen van Babylonië en de Perzische koninklijke tuinen van Passargadea, die later de inspiratie vormden voor beroemde paleistuinen, waaronder de Taj Mahal-tuinen en de Alhambra Lion Court-tuin.

Back to the here and now, we see the theme 'infinity' presented from different angles in the current exhibition Bloom. The contribution, sustainability, and future of the flower, and our role and responsibility in this.

The elements 'movement' and 'repetition' can be recognized in the creative wall projection of the dancing tulips that reveal the hidden Power (fig.8).

It may be appropriate to mention something about the origin of the tulip. This type of flower was cultivated in Iran as early as the 10th century. And the name was derived from the shape of the built-in niche which had the inverted shape of a tulip, and was called Dulap.

To make another link with this very successful exhibition, I take the eye-catching artwork of the dried flower composition by the floral artist Hanneke Frankma in which she looked for the balance between colors, materials, different shapes and details. This is an embodiment of the Persian carpet where 'unity in diversity' is expressed - a total integrated image, in a long shot view, versus a fully detailed composition of colors and objects, in a close up view (fig 9.).

Figuratively speaking, Johannes Christoph Lotyn's Pronkbouquet is a representation of 'unity in diversity', by bringing together flowers from different parts of the world.

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In this brief introduction to the symbolism of motifs, and their compositions, in ancient Persian pattern design, the elements of 'movement' and 'connection' are the key players. And allegorically, these are a representation of the character and personality of museum Paleis Het Loo - its 'inclusivity' and connectedness. Connectedness with the past and the future; of the 'local' with the 'global'. A 'movement' that creates awareness, especially about the underlying events of the past, and about our way of thinking and actions in the future.