Since Shah Abbas the Great made Isfahan the capital of the Safavid Persian Empire in the late 16th Century, and established his Court looms in the city, the carpets of Isfahan have been acknowledged as among the most precious of all Persian knotted masterworks, a reputation further enhanced by the extraordinarily fine silk-based Isfahan art rugs first created under the patronage of the Pahlavi Shahs, and exemplified in this exceptional classic specimen.  Against a lovely light cream ground, a medallion of dazzling filigree complexity possesses that depth and refinement of detail for which the high Isfahan style is without compare.  Scattered over the surrounding field is a wealth of floral and foliate forms from the royal lineage of the Shah Abbas decorative tradition, subtly mediated by a scheme of border stripes in which palmette repeats and flowing vine-meanders are etched with the delicacy only a weave of this superb quality permits, with a pile of the finest kurk neckwool accented in thematic ornaments with glistening touches of the finest handspun Caspian silk, all knotted upon the gossamer fine pure silk warp threads which are among the identifying characteristics of the most elevated Isfahan master-workshop style.  A work of supreme craftsmanship and exquisite beauty.