Rug and Textile Appreciation Morning: From the Bosporus to Samarkand

As part of a series of 2025 programs that revisit groundbreaking exhibitions of The Textile Museum’s 100-year history, trustee Wendel Swam looks back at the 1969 exhibition and book From the Bosporus to Samarkand: Flat-Woven Rugs. From the Bosporus to Samarkand introduced the international rug and textile community to flat-woven textiles created for domestic use in the Near East and Central Asia during the 19th and early 20th centuries, which were essentially unknown in the West. 
 

With its dynamic cover image of a Shahsavan “soumak” bag, the publication set off a frenzy among collectors and dealers to find similar examples. It inspired and influenced numerous publications and, in many instances, established benchmarks for the “best of type” that endure to this day. 
 

While assessing the historical importance of From the Bosporus to Samarkand, Wendel Swan will tell fascinating stories of the many individuals and communities of organizers, collectors, dealers and publishers who made the project such a resounding success. 

About Wendel Swan

An active and eclectic collector since 1968, Wendel Swan is a trustee of The George Washington University Museum and The Textile Museum, and has served as chair of the Executive Committee of the International Conference on Oriental Carpets, including chairing the 2003, 2015 and 2018 conferences in Washington. He has been president of two D.C. rug societies and a frequent lecturer at The Textile Museum, rug societies and rug conferences. Swan knew many of those who organized and contributed to the exhibition From the Bosporus to Samarkand. 

How to Join the Program

This program will be in a hybrid format. You can join us in person at the museum or watch the livestream online. Please register in advance and choose how you would like to participate. We will email virtual attendees a link and instructions for joining via Zoom. When you register, you can also request to receive a reminder email one day before the program with the link included.

About Rug and Textile Appreciation Mornings

Collectors and experts discuss textile topics and display examples from their personal holdings. This series is named in honor of late Textile Museum trustee emeritus, Harold M. Keshishian. Browse upcoming programs