ly
different from any that clearly throws back to Oriental principles, and
many of the designs for the finer and larger of these carpets are
schemed with large central oval panels, garlands of flowers and
fantastic frames very much on the plan of what is frequently to be seen
in the decoration of ceilings. At the same time the style called _l'art
nouveau_ has become developed. It largely grows from very fanciful
dispositions of free-growing natural forms, as well as curiously curved
and tenuous forms, many of which are bone-like and fibre-like in
character, flat in treatment and rather thin and washy in colour, and
its influence has slightly percolated into designs for pile carpets.
This style, sometimes intermixed with the more robust, less fantastic
and rather fuller-coloured English style, has found followers in
England, America and Germany, but the bulk of the designs now used in
power carpet looms seems to be mainly of Oriental descent.

The more important art museums in Europe contain collections of Oriental
carpets, and the history of many is fairly well established. The subject
has become one of serious study, the results of which have been
published and elucidated by means of well-executed coloured
reproductions of carpets and rugs preserved in both public and private
collections.

PLATE III.

[Illustration: FIG. 6.--CUT PILE WORSTED CARPET, BEARING ROYAL ARMS OF
ENGLAND WITH E.R. (ELIZABETH REGINA); DATE 1570.]

[Illustration: FIG. 7.--VERY FINE CUT PILE PERSIAN CARPET KNOWN AS THE
HOLY CARPET OF THE MOSQUE AT ARDEBIL.]

PLATE IV.

[Illustration: FIG. 8.--FINE CUT PILE LAHORE CARPET (c. 1664)
BELONGING TO GIRDLERS' COMPANY IN LONDON. OF PERSIAN DESIGN.]

[Illustration: FIG. 9.--CORNER OF A CUT PILE CARPET OF PERSIAN
MANUFACTURE, 16TH CENTURY.]

[Illustration: FIG. 10.--CUT PILE CARPET OF SPANISH MANUFACTURE, EARLY
16TH CENTURY.]

BIBLIOGRAPHY.--(1) _An Account of the New Manufactory of Tapestry
after the manner of that at the Gobelins; and of Carpets after the
manner of that at Chaillot, &c., now undertaken at Fulham, by Mr Peter
Parisot_ (London, Dodsley, 1753, 8vo). This is probably the only
account of carpet-making in England during the 18th century; it is of
peculiar interest in that respect, and as containing a statement that
"the Manufacture of Chaillot is altogether of wool, and worked in the
manner of Velvet. All sorts of Figures of Men and Animals ma