Vintage Moroccan rug from Esmaili Rugs Collection: With its well defined lines and natural beauty, this Berber Moroccan rug is believed to protect the human spirit from negative energy and shield the human body from the elements. Beni Ouarain (Beni Ourain) rugs are prized for their exciting, abstract and modern designs. While they display some of the same aesthetic tendencies previously celebrated by modern artists, they are indeed tribal compositions which have played importance to the Berber people for centuries. This Beni Ouarain rug does an excellent job of communicating the finer points of this modernized style: the line work rendered in a dark brown contrasts beautifully against the ivory field. The overall diamond pattern design scheme is one of enchanting abstraction. The hints of dyes that make their way into the rug's motifs and fringes have their own tale to tell. In Berber culture, the color red symbolizes strength and protection, blue symbolizes wisdom, yellow represents eternity and green stands for peace. While the patterns may seem whimsical and random – they are very significant to the rug weaver's life. The Berber women incorporate design elements from their personal experience into the rugs designs. The symbols are usually references to events and aspects of their daily life such as beliefs, birth, fertility, nature, femininity, life and spirituality. The crisscrossing of detail lines and sparse composition seen in these rural carpets highlight the authentic and archaic spirit of tribal art. Unlike the vintage and antique oriental rugs found in our western interior spaces, they fit wonderfully with minimalist décor.
