In the occasion of the exhibition 'Walter De Maria', Gagosian Gallery, Le Bourget, Paris (open until the February 11th, 2017) the art work "The Large Rod Series: Circle/Rectangle 11" (1986) is presented, to underline their harmony and research of perfection, above a precious Palmettes and Cloud bands Agra Carpet  realized by the imperial manufacturies of Agra, India in the first half of the 19th century, from Moshe Tabibnia collection, Milan. 
Walter de Maria’s work is located in the middle the minimalism, the conceptual art, the land art, and the installation art. The artist (1935, Albany, California - 2013, Los Angeles) was focused on mathematical absolutes and elements of the sublime, researches that were also pursued by the finest weavers of the past.
This juxtaposition is inspired to the artist’s exhibition in 1986 where the same sculpture was shown on an Afghan carpet to point up the mathematical perfection of both the objects.
The carpet is a marvelous witness of the Agra weaving tradition that, along with the Dehli’s and Lahore’s, established in the late XVIth century by Shah Akbar the Great, was one of the primal source of the magnificent Mughal carpets commissioned in the Golden period of Shah Jahanjir and Jahan till the end of the XVIIth century.
In this exemplar we can see the influence of the Safavid ripe art of the XVIIth century royal weaving tradition that will continue also after the fall of the Mughal dynasty.
The adherence of the chromatic palette to the classical Safavid typologies of Central Persia speaks for the early dating in the XIX century, whereas light camel and olive green give a distinctive yet subtle non Persian hint at the general appearance of the carpet.
As to design, the border, first, brings back a trained eye to the musical and noble rhythm of the best silk Animal carpets from Keshan of the mid XVIth century.
Yet the field pattern turns the eye to the most iconic types of Shah Abbas the Great period, the first quarter of the XVIIth century. The complex and rich arabesque system composed by underlying fine spiralling stems with small scale floral details and large, impressive palmettes, split leaves and cloudbands remind the bold royal style as elaborated in the famous Polonaise carpets. In particular, the inner guard design, a geometrical repeat small motif, is usually found therein.
Therefore a carpet that plays a dialogue between two cultures: the Indian and the Persian, as happen, in a contemporary way, even in this installation with two kind of art forms: antique textile art and contemporary art.


Walter De Maria, The Large Rod Series: Circle/Rectangle 11, Gagosian, Paris
Palmette and Cloud Band Carpet, 19th century, 1st half, cm 487x373, Moshe Tabibnia, Milan