Wendy and Emery Reves's interest in textiles was wide ranging and one of their most distinguished accomplishments, in terms of their textile collection, was in the area of rugs. In total, the Reveses assembled a fine group of approximately thirty rugs during the 1960s and 1970s. The collection remains mostly intact, with twenty-four examples in the Dallas Museum of Art.

For many years, rugs like this example were believed to be of Persian origin; however, scholars now generally agree that this type is part of a group that derived from Persian prototypes but was made in India. Because of their high-quality design and workmanship, Indian rugs were prized in Europe and sold in significant numbers. The fact that European countries like Portugal traded extensively with India beginning in the 16th century facilitated this commerce in fine textiles and other Asian luxuries.

Adapted from

Dallas Museum of Art, Decorative Arts Highlights from the Wendy and Emery Reves Collection (Dallas, Texas: Dallas Museum of Art, 1995), 25 and 35.