What did the Persian carpets symbolize in the funeral of Pope Francis
Placing Persian carpets under the coffin of Pope Francis, who broke out on Monday, April 21, in his private chapel and then at the Saint Peteras well as for his funeral at St. Peter’s Square on April 26, the Catholic Church follows a tradition of six hundred years.
But how the visual language of the carpets, that is, the line, the shape, the form and the pattern, which has neither Italian origins nor comes from the Christian tradition, has come to signal sacred ground in the most purified by the ceremonies of the Catholic Church?
Photo: Alexandros Gasteratos In
Works of art
As Margaret Squires, a researcher and lecturer at The Courtauld Institute of Art, typically writes in The Art Newspaper, « from the late 14th century onwards, the carpets introduced from Anatolia (and later from Levante, Egypt and Iran) were the most valuable roofing covers. Their special position is testified by their depiction of religious paintings, where such carpets often appear at the feet of Our Lady or other important Christian forms. «
One of the oldest examples is the wedding of Our Lady of Italian painter Nikolos Di Bonakorso who was designed in Siena around 1380. In it, an impressive carpet carrying an animal design delimits the zone in which Maria’s marriage takes place.
Similarly, the painter and goldsmith Andrea del Verokio used a carpet from Anatolia to depict the Virgin Mary and the child, which is surrounded by John the Baptist, which was completed in 1486.
Diplomacy
In the 16th century, carpets from Islamic countries arrived by hundreds in Europe as goods, as direct orders, and sometimes as gifts for diplomatic reasons.
The carpets from the Ottoman countries dominated the 16th century. Iran of Safavids and later India of Mongols joined the market in the 17th century.
The use of carpets as diplomatic gifts continues to this day. In 2016, when Iranian President Hassan Rouhani met with Pope Francis in the Vatican, he brought with him a small carpet as a gift for Pontiff.
Pope Francis’ funeral
The carpets we see in the funeral procedures of Pope Francis operate in the same way as the carpets in the paintings. They signify sacred territory, a sanctified space with distinct boundaries that separate the Pontiff from the attendants and visitors around it.
« In the most intimate area of the private chapel, two members of the Swiss guard were standing by framing the coffin on the carpet border, echoing the gesture of John the Baptist on Piazza Madonna of Verrocchio. In Saint Peter, for public viewing, the boundaries of the largest carpet and the sanctified zone surrounding were enhanced with poles, « Squires said.
*With information from: The Art Newspaper | Margaret Squires | Central Theme Photo: Alexander Gastratos In
