Rug weaving was introduced to Europe through Spain during the control of Muslim Moors who ruled most of the Iberian Peninsula, southwestern Europe, from the 8th through the 13th century. Spain became an important rug producing area in the twelfth century.
Aubusson Rug Savonnerie Rug
Significant European Styles
The most important European styles in the history of European rug weaving are the French Savonnerie and Aubusson styles of the 17th and 18th century, which are still being copied by countries such as India, Pakistan, China and Iran. The Savonnerie workshops were set up in Paris by Pierre Dupont in 1628 with supervision of Henry IV. Savonnerie rugs were mainly woven for palaces and by special orders. These designs were produced under the direction of artists of the royal courts. The greatest period for Savonnerie rugs was between 1650 and 1789. Their production was interrupted by the French Revolution, and finally in 1825, the Savonnerie workshops were moved to the Gobelins. Aubusson rugs were first made in Aubusson, France in about 1665. By the 1870s rug production had stopped in Aubusson.
