About Savonnerie rugs

A ban was put on the importation of rugs from any other country, which greatly stimulated domestic manufacture and also accounts for the fact that no foreign influence is apparent in French carpet design.

The Savonnerie factory flourished through the reigns of Louis XIII, XIV, XV, XVI, and Napoleon's Empire.

In 1825 the looms were moved to the famous Gobelin factory where Savonneries are still made.

The weave is very like the Turkish, using the Ghiordes knot. The great looms are vertical and the warp is usually linen. The deep pile is made of worsted yarn, formed by as many as a dozen thin strands, so that the texture is very soft and silky.

The pile is carved around each motif, making it stand out in relief.