Creating a carpet

The idea for the Doppelgänger emerged from a dialogue between two worlds, that of Jürgen Dahlmann, founder of RUG STAR in Berlin, one of the world’s most renowned dealers in hand-knotted carpets, and Anna Beselin, a carpet conservator at the Museum for Islamic Art. Both bring a deep understanding of carpets to the project, Dahlmann from the perspective of contemporary design and international production, and Beselin from the perspective of historical conservation and scientific analysis. Together, they developed the concept and design for the Doppelgänger carpet in 2018.

The design takes the silhouette of the original but mirrors it. What was on the left in the original is on the right in the Doppelgänger. It was a deliberate choice as the Doppelgänger is intended to be displayed opposite the original, and to engage in a dialogue with it.

The actual conceptual core lies in the treatment of the missing sections. Where the original carpet was destroyed by fire, that is, precisely what is missing, is highlighted in the Doppelgänger with precious white silk. The preserved, coloured areas of the original, by contrast, are woven in wool and the pile, that is, the surface of the carpet, is cut very short. The result is a carpet that plays with two levels, silk and wool, the lofty and the dense, the glossy and the matt.

Added to this is a woven grid of 10 × 10 rectangles that overlay the pattern and mark the cutting lines of the subsequent 100 fragments. It is part of the concept.

The colour scheme follows the original as closely as possible, colour shades that have changed over centuries and through fire are meticulously recreated because every nuance counts.

Before a single knot is tied, the weaving pattern is created on the computer. Every single knot in the carpet is depicted as a small square, true to scale. That sounds technical, but it is highly artistic.

To put the scale into perspective, the finished rug measures 265 × 610 cm. With a knot density of 38 × 38 knots per 10 cm, that amounts to over 2.3 million knots. For each and every one of them, the correct colour must be determined, from a palette of 22 shades of wool and white silk. Every decision influences the next.

Numerous designs and knotting samples are required until every individual knot has the correct colour and the interplay of all colours matches the original. This process can take several weeks. Only when all the colours come together to create a vibrant effect, when the carpet begins to breathe on the screen, is the template complete.

At the end of the process, there are two documents, the chart, i.e. the complete weaving template, and a colour palette showing which wool colour is used for which section on the chart.

In 2022, the rug is being made in India by Dhanni Devi together with her three daughters, Meenakshi, Suman and Kiran Bunkar, in a small village not far from Jaipur, Rajasthan. The vertical loom offers just enough space for all four of them to work at the same time.

Looms have hardly changed over the centuries. The tools have remained the same, a metal comb and a strongly curved knife. The coloured balls of wool hang within easy reach at head height. The weaving pattern is clearly visible, fixed behind the loom, divided into several strips for easier handling.

After each row of knots, just under 1,000 knots per row, several wefts are inserted across the entire width. This requires all four women to work at the same pace. A silent coordination, practised over generations.

It is interesting that the women can tell exactly which of them knotted which section. The hand leaves its mark.

After around four months, the carpet is finished. It is cut from the loom and leaves the village on its way to the next workshop.

Fresh from the loom, the carpet’s surface is uneven. The ends of the knots, which form what is known as the pile, protrude to varying lengths. It is only after shearing that the surface becomes soft and lustrous.

All knot ends are cut to a uniform length by machine. With the Doppelgänger, however, there are to be varying pile heights by design. The wool sections are to remain shorter, the silk sections longer. For this reason, the pile is initially left long, the shorter sections are later cut precisely by hand. The shorter the pile, the more clearly the carpet’s patterns stand out.

Dirt, lint, loose fibres, burnt particles - after singeing, the carpet must be thoroughly cleaned. At the same time, washing helps to strengthen the carpet’s structure.

First, a heavy machine with rollers works the pile, adding water and detergents several times, depending on the length and density. This is followed by hand washing, it is a labour-intensive process that is generally carried out by men. Using special wooden boards, they press the water with great force towards the edges of the carpet, whilst others constantly pour in fresh water until the water runs clear.

In the past, carpets had fringes at the top and bottom edges, whilst the side edges were secured by the weft threads. Today, all four edges are cut straight after knotting and edged by hand using sturdy woolen yarns. This prevents curling and irregularities and ensures that the carpet remains secure and stable even after being cut into 100 fragments.