Notes on Daniel Walker

After many years as curator Daniel Walker is leaving the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City to take over as the new Director of the Textile Museum in Washington DC. One of the greatest teachers and experts in the field of Islamic art Stuart Cary Welch speaks of Walker as one of his prize pupils and that is high praise indeed. Walker is a great talent particularly in classical Indian carpets which was the topic of his doctoral dissertation at Harvard. The funny part is that I tend to disagree with both Walker and Welch on a number of key points but my respect for them is so great that I wonder if I could be wrong.

When I was doing my paper on early Mughal carpets Walker was preparing his book and show. As I was tracking down carpets over and over again the one I wanted was on loan to the Met. He was very generous in helping me with some of the data I lacked.

The Girdlers' Carpet

Daniel Walker is to take over as the new Director of the Textile Museum in Washington DC. May 1, 2005.
Walker is Curator of Islamic Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Walker is among the very top experts in Classical Carpets and Mughal carpets in particular.
Former Curator, Cincinnati Art Museum, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Member Hajji Baba Club.
Walker, D.S. Oriental Rugs In Cincinnati Collections. 1976.
Walker, Daniel Oriental Rugs of the Hajji Babas New York Asia Society/Abrams 1982
5 Star Guide To Oriental Rug Books
"A Survey of Classical Mughal Carpets". Washington DC: ICOC 1980.
Walker, D.S. TURKISH RUGS. 1988, Bull. St. Louis Art Museum.
Chinagate: Original New York Times story in final edited version that did not run
The Nature of Islamic Ornament, Part II: Vegetal Design. Metropolitan Museum. Sept. 10, 1998-Jan. 10, 1999. The classical arabesque -- the vinescroll, blossoms and palmettes and split leaves -- via about 25 objects from the Met collection. Curator: Daniel Walker. Sponsor: Hagop Kevorkian Fund. NEW THIS MONTH IN U.S. MUSEUMS(Dead Link http://www4.artnet.com/magazine/news/wrobinson/wrobinson9-4-98.asp)

Walker, Daniel. Flowers Underfoot. New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1997. 150 illustrations, 125 in full color, 256 pages, 9 x 12"

If you have the slightest interest in Mughal Carpets buy this book. I do not agree with everything Walker suggests but the book is so important that my minor differences are of little consequence. The pictures are superb, Walker's research and facts are first rate. My differences generally come from differences in conclusions.

Walker, Daniel Oriental Rugs of the Hajji Babas New York Asia Society/Abrams 1982

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Walker, D.S. Oriental Rugs In Cincinnati Collections. Cincinnati : Cincinnati Art Museum 1976. 103 p. : ill. (some color) ; 26.

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Walker, D.S. Turkish Rugs. 1988, Bull. St. Louis Art Museum.

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Walker, Daniel S. and Ellen S. Smart Pride of the Princes: Indian Art of the Mughal Era in the Cincinnati Art Museum. Cincinnati: Cincinnati Art Museum, 1986 Dimensions (in inches): 0.75 x 11.00 x 7.00 ISBN: 0931537037

For Further Reading:

Persian Rugs and Carpet

Turkish Rugs

Turkmen Rugs

JBOC's Notes on the Bible

Persian Carpet Guide

Caucasian Rugs

Thanks and best wishes,

J. Barry O'Connell Jr.

Tabriz-Rugs

Tabriz-Rugs & Carpets