In a new weekly feature, we highlight a book of rug and textile interest. This week we look at The Carpet and the Connoisseur: The James F. Ballard Collection of Oriental Rugs.
The Carpet and the Connoisseur: The James F. Ballard Collection of Oriental Rugs by Walter Denny & Thomas J. Farnham
Following several years of extensive research, conservation, and photography, Saint Louis Art Museum’s major 2016 exhibition highlighted 50 carpets and two Persian pleasure tents assembled by one of the most important early twentieth-century American carpet collectors, James F. Ballard. The unique collection, outstanding quality of many of the rugs, and detailed technical content make this book a major contribution to the study of Islamic textiles and the field of Islamic art history as a whole.
