Corfu Museum of Asian Art

Central Asian Nomadic

Art Collection

About the Collection

Central Asian nomadic art in the Museum of Asian Art is represented by approximately 200 items. They all belong to the Jason Deighton-Sarzetakis collection, which was donated by his parents Yiannis Sarzetakis and Ruth Deighton. The items date back mostly to the 19th century. They reflect the collectors’ taste as exquisite specimens of the original Central Asian nomads’ aesthetics created for personal and non commercial use.

Among them stand out handmade rugs, textiles and kilims made by Baluch nomads and their neighbors, as well as traditional garments, silk Ikats, embroideries, jewellry, Susanis, coins of the Indogreeks. Furthermore 19th century European journals illustrated with Central Asian nomads’ gravures, as well as many specialized editions and magazines, such as the HALI.

This collection is of particular importance as it enriches the Museum.

The permanent exhibition of the collection is currently on display in the west wing of the second floor of the Museum.

Central Asian Nomadic Art Collection | Museum of Asian Art Corfu
Central Asian Nomadic Art Collection | Museum of Asian Art Corfu
Central Asian Nomadic Art Collection | Museum of Asian Art Corfu

History - Geography

Central Asia stretches from the Caspian Sea to China and from Afghanistan to Russia. It is an area withindistinct borders. In Central Asia we can find some of the mythical city stations of the Silk Road, such as Bukhara, Samarkand and Tashkent. Today they are composed, roughly, by the five republics of the former Soviet Union: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

Central Asian Nomadic Art Collection | Museum of Asian Art Corfu

Masterpieces of Central Asian Collection

Baluch Balisht fragment
Central Asian Nomadic Art Collection | Museum of Asian Art Corfu
Baluch Balisht fragment with 'tree of life' motif 19th century 33X25 cm Warp : W. ivory, Z2S Weft : W. brown (aubergine), Knot : AS open left Color: 5, camel hair, brownish red, blue indigo, rusty red, very little ivory (dots) Sarzetakis Collection
Baluch rug
Central Asian Nomadic Art Collection | Museum of Asian Art Corfu
Baluch rug 19th century 157x125 cm Warp : W. ivory, Z2S. Weft : W. brown Z2. Knots: AS open left. u.e. : mostly missing, part of a band weft float. l.e. : Kilim with stripes and band with weft floating technique. Color.: 14, Claret red, light claret red, blue indigo, aubergine, brown(corroded), green blue,light blue,orange red, red (corroded), ivory, light mauve, light green yellow, dark blue. Sarzetakis Collection
Baluch rug
Central Asian Nomadic Art Collection | Museum of Asian Art Corfu
Baluch rug 19th century 157x125 cm Warp : W. ivory, Z2S. Weft : W. brown Z2. Knots: AS open left. u.e. : mostly missing, part of a band weft float. l.e. : Kilim with stripes and band with weft floating technique. Color.: 14, Claret red, light claret red, blue indigo, aubergine, brown(corroded), green blue,light blue,orange red, red (corroded), ivory, light mauve, light green yellow, dark blue. Sarzetakis Collection
Beshir Torba fragment
Central Asian Nomadic Art Collection | Museum of Asian Art Corfu
Baluch rug 19th century 157x125 cm Warp : W. ivory, Z2S. Weft : W. brown Z2. Knots: AS open left. u.e. : mostly missing, part of a band weft float. l.e. : Kilim with stripes and band with weft floating technique. Color.: 14, Claret red, light claret red, blue indigo, aubergine, brown(corroded), green blue,light blue,orange red, red (corroded), ivory, light mauve, light green yellow, dark blue. Sarzetakis Collection
Turkoman Torba fragment
Central Asian Nomadic Art Collection | Museum of Asian Art Corfu
Turkoman Torba fragment 19th century 140 x 0,53 cm. Warp: W. ivory, Z2S. Weft : W. grey-brown nat. Z2S, two shoots. Knot : AS. open right. Z2S. Selv. : Missing. L.e. : Weft faced ornament, folded, sewn. No fringes. Col. : 5, Red, blue, ivory, orange-red, brown. Tekke (Saryk guls) Sarzetakis Collection
Baluch Kilim
Central Asian Nomadic Art Collection | Museum of Asian Art Corfu
Baluch Kilim 19th century All wool. NE Persia, (or Afghanistan) Sarzetakis Collection
Tekke Chuval
Central Asian Nomadic Art Collection | Museum of Asian Art Corfu
Baluch rug 19th century 157x125 cm Warp : W. ivory, Z2S. Weft : W. brown Z2. Knots: AS open left. u.e. : mostly missing, part of a band weft float. l.e. : Kilim with stripes and band with weft floating technique. Color.: 14, Claret red, light claret red, blue indigo, aubergine, brown(corroded), green blue,light blue,orange red, red (corroded), ivory, light mauve, light green yellow, dark blue. Sarzetakis Collection
Qasqai Kilim
Central Asian Nomadic Art Collection | Museum of Asian Art Corfu
Qasqai Kilim 19th century 140 x 92 cm. Warp: Cotton Weft: Wool Colours: 14, blood red, blue, brown purple, light blue, honey yellow, dark brown, orange, white, light green, light purple, brown, pink, pink red, maroon. Iran Sarzetakis Collection
Uzbekistan Suzani fragment
Central Asian Nomadic Art Collection | Museum of Asian Art Corfu
Uzbekistan Suzani fragment 19th century 88 x 40 cm. Silk embroidery on cotton cloth Uzbekistan Sarzetakis Collection
Kyrgyzstan embroidery on felt
Central Asian Nomadic Art Collection | Museum of Asian Art Corfu
Uzbekistan Suzani fragment 19th century 88 x 40 cm. Silk embroidery on cotton cloth Uzbekistan Sarzetakis Collection
Kyrgyzstan scissors pouch
Central Asian Nomadic Art Collection | Museum of Asian Art Corfu
Kyrgyzstan scissors pouch 19th century 20 x 14 cm. Silk embroidery on a red felt Kyrgyzstan Sarzetakis Collection
Uzbekistan mirror cover
Central Asian Nomadic Art Collection | Museum of Asian Art Corfu
Uzbekistan mirror cover 19th century 48 x 41 cm Silk embroidery on printed cotton Samarkand Sarzetakis Collection

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your visit

Palace of St. Michael & George
(Palea Anaktora),
49100 Corfu

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Monday-Sunday: 08.30-15:30