Savonnerie

After traveling to the Levant during the early 17th century, weaver Pierre DuPont claimed he discovered the technique of creating Turkish rugs. Oriental rugs were extremely expensive, and recognizing the appeal of a French manufacturer who could create the same type of rug, Henri VI of France established a workshop for DuPont at the Louvre. In 1627, King Louis XIII founded a factory for DuPont in a former soap factory (French savon) in the 16th arrondissement. The factory produced rugs woven with the Ghoirdes knot; soft colors on a dominant ivory field exemplify the formal grace and elegance of classical European design.

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