About us

Origin

CRISTO was created when a renowned art dealer from Paris and an Iranian artist decided together in 1992 to have a designer carpet knotted according to the old nomadic knotting tradition. Countless trips to Iran began in order to find suitable master weavers and dyers who could only work according to the tried and tested knotting techniques and execute the artistic patterns. The common goal was to have the designer's patterns knotted by nomads. The Persian artist himself has nomadic roots and has the carpets knotted according to his designs by various nomadic tribes. The result is a collection of individual one-off pieces, using only the finest materials, hand-spun greasy highland wool and natural colours.

The daughter of the gallery owner studied art history in Paris, but developed a passion for oriental studies and the art of carpet weaving very early on. Numerous trips and stays in what was then Iran consolidated her knowledge, so that she became a publicly appointed expert for oriental carpets in 1992. From 2007 to 2017, she was called to Madrid, where she worked as a publicly appointed expert in renowned auction houses.

CRISTO owns one of the world's largest collections of fine and antique carpets.

The collection offers one of the largest selections of fine and antique rugs. The company supplies and sells rugs worldwide to customers, dealers, collectors and interior designers. It is also one of the rarest collections of semi-antique Persian rugs. A striking feature of all these individual pieces is that the carpets have been selected in soft colours.

The history of the Persian carpet

Or: how the Persian carpet became a symbol of luxury and sustainability several centuries ago.

In the XVI and XVII centuries under the rule of the Safavids in Persia, the art of carpet weaving flourished and court manufactories were established. The Persian carpet became the epitome of luxury worldwide. For centuries, these carpets adorned the palaces and courts of all royal houses and soon also the homes of wealthy citizens. Since that time, the Persian carpet has always remained a status symbol of wealth. At the same time, court manufactories were established in France, which designed and knotted carpets for the royal houses. The Aubusson tapestry or the Savonnerie court manufactory designed patterns for the royal houses and had them knotted or woven. In Spain, the "Real Fabrica de tapiz" also designed and knotted large-format carpets for kings and nobles at the same time.