Aubusson Rugs
Discover the elegance of hand woven Aubusson and Savonnerie carpets, celebrating centuries of exquisite craftsmanship and artistry dating back to the 17th century.
Explore ModRen's extensive collection of authentic Aubusson rugs, featuring traditional floral patterns, intricate medallions and ornate styles. Our selections consist primarily of new Aubusson recreations, as well as Antique French Aubussons, Bessarabian styles and flat weaves from legendary Berdj Abadjian, available in a variety of styles, colors and sizes. Offering exceptional quality, refined detail, and timeless sophistication for traditional and modern interiors.
- What it is: a flat-woven (tapestry weave) French carpet, not hand-knotted
- Origin: the town of Aubusson, Creuse region, central France
- Woven since: the 17th century; Royal Manufactory status granted in 1665
- Materials: premium quality wool on cotton foundations
- Heritage: UNESCO listed, 2009
- Available at ModRen: new and antique originals in an extensive selection of sizes
- Est. 2014, 30+ years in the trade
- 1000+ European style carpets to browse for inspiration
- Handwoven utilizing premium wools in the historic French weaving techniques
- Extensive selection of sizes in new and antique originals
- Trade & designer pricing
- Worldwide shipping
- In home approval
The Art of the Aubusson Rug
Aubusson is a tapestry weave, not a knotted pile. Weavers work on a horizontal loom, weaving from the back and following either a full-scale painting or a sketch marked with colour-number references. The finished surface is smooth and crisp, closer to a fine woven painting than a plush rug, and it carries no fringe.
That flat, pileless structure is the fastest way to tell an Aubusson from the knotted-pile Savonnerie. Feel the surface: an Aubusson has no raised pile to run your hand against.
- Materials
- Fine wool on a cotton warp, sometimes accented with silk highlights.
- Palette
- Muted and elegant: ivory, soft rose, celadon green, pale gold, and taupe.
- Motifs
- Central medallions and cartouches, floral wreaths and bouquets, acanthus leaves, ribbons, and classical urns.
- Styles
- Louis XV, Louis XVI, Empire, and Napoleon III framing, plus lighter transitional florals.
Shop by Collection
From flat-woven Aubussons to plush Savonnerie and French tapestries, all are entirely handwoven.
Aubusson Rugs
Flat-woven European carpets created in French tapestry weave since the 17th century.
Savonnerie Rugs
Plush knotted-pile carpets, recreated in the techniques of the Royal French production.
Tapestries
Verdures, Romantic scenes & panels. Wool & silk on cotton foundations.
Needlepoint Rugs
Heavy Stitch, Arraiolos & Petit-point weave of English and French designs.
Abadjian Carpets
Bessarabian, high-low & Cuenca weaves.
Aubusson vs. Savonnerie vs. Non European
ModRen carries all three, so this is the question we get asked most.
| Attribute | Aubusson | Savonnerie | Non European |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weave | Flat tapestry, no pile | Hand-knotted, plush pile | Hand-knotted, pile |
| Origin | Recreations from China and Romania; antique Aubusson from France | Recreations from China; antique originals from France, Spain, and Austria | India, Pakistan, Nepal, Iran, and the surrounding regions |
| Woven since | 17th century | 17th century (royal workshop, 1626) | Centuries old, varies by region |
| Palette | Pastel to dramatic, with many color styles in between | Rich and formal, subtle to bold | Simple to complex; deep jewel tones and symbolic motifs |
| Surface feel | Smooth and flat, like a woven painting, no fringes | Dense, plush, velvety feel, no fringes | Textured pile; density varies by knot count, most with fringes |
| Best for | Elegant, architectural, high-ceiling rooms wanting a light, painterly look | Grand formal rooms wanting the best of European luxury | Traditional, richly layered interiors; produced in higher quantities |
Aubusson Rugs by Size & Shape
Shop by Category
How to Buy an Aubusson Rug at ModRen
Browse for inspiration, tell us what you're looking for, and we'll help you find the right piece.
Browse for Inspiration
Our 500+ Aubusson rugs show the range of size, palette, and period available. Use them as a reference point, even if the exact piece you want isn't shown.
Tell Us What You Want
Room size, palette, period, and budget, sent directly to our team.
We Source Options
Drawing on 30+ years of trade relationships and our own inventory.
Trial It, Then Decide
See it in your home (USA). We ship worldwide via FedEx, UPS, and DHL.
Jeffrey was a joy to work with. He was very patient; it took us over 7 months to decide on a carpet, and we ended up with a very rare silk Aubusson.
A Short History of Aubusson
Weaving in Aubusson dates to at least the 16th century. In 1665, the workshops received Royal Manufactory status under Louis XIV.
Early carpets borrowed heavy Persian and Oriental medallion motifs. By the 18th century the style had shifted to the lighter French vocabulary of floral garlands, bouquets, and architectural framing that defines the look today.
Production flourished through the Louis XVI and Empire periods and into the 19th century. In 2009, Aubusson tapestry was inscribed on UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Aubusson Rug Glossary
- Tapestry weave
- A flat weaving technique where the pattern is woven directly into the structure of the fabric, with no knots and no pile, and no fringes, giving a sense of depth.
- Warp and weft
- The fixed vertical threads (warp) and the horizontal threads woven across them (weft) that form any woven textile, including an Aubusson.
- Cartoon
- An ornamental painting drawn to scale, used to visualize the finished carpet. Once approved, it is created at full scale and used by the weaver at the loom as a guide.
- Verdure
- A tapestry depicting foliage, landscape, or garden scenes, a common subject for Aubusson wall tapestries.
- Point de Aubusson
- Another name for the flat tapestry technique used to weave Aubusson rugs and tapestries.
- Provenance
- The documented history of ownership of a rug or tapestry, a key factor in authenticating and valuing antique pieces.
Caring for an Aubusson Rug
Because Aubussons are flat-woven, they reward gentle care.
- Use a quality rug pad underneath.
- Rotate the rug periodically to even out light exposure.
- Vacuum regularly.
- Blot spills immediately rather than rubbing.
- Have pieces cleaned by a professional rug specialist.
Aubusson Rugs: Frequently Asked Questions
What is an Aubusson rug?
An Aubusson rug is a flat-woven French carpet made in the tapestry technique, originating in the town of Aubusson in central France. Woven since the 17th century, Aubusson rugs are known for their 3D perspective and a variety of designs such as neoclassical medallions, floral motifs, and soft pastel colors. They are often used as elegant centerpieces in contemporary and transitional interiors.
What does Aubusson mean in English?
Aubusson is a place name, not a translatable word. It refers to the town of Aubusson in the Creuse region of central France, historically famous for tapestry and carpet weaving. When people say "an Aubusson," they mean a rug or tapestry woven in that town's flat, pictorial style.
Is Aubusson French or English?
Aubusson is entirely French, even though England's elite favored Aubusson carpets. The technique and the name both come from the town of Aubusson in the Creuse region of central France, where weaving has been documented since at least the 16th century.
How do you identify an Aubusson rug?
Look for a dense, flat, pile-less surface woven like a tapestry, a soft pastel palette, and French neoclassical designs: central medallions, floral garlands, acanthus scrolls, and ribbon borders. If the rug is not lined, the back will show the threads and precisely mirror the front pattern. New Aubussons use fine hand-dyed wools, blending multiple colors into the same yarn to simulate a vegetable dye appearance.
Antique Aubussons use natural dyes and are all wool, with occasional silk highlights. The flat weave is the fastest giveaway, and they never have fringes.
Are Aubusson rugs good quality?
Yes. Handwoven Aubusson rugs with fine wool are considered luxury floor coverings. Antique 18th and 19th century examples are collected as investment-grade textiles, while well-made hand-woven reproductions offer the same look and texture with even greater everyday durability at a more attainable cost.
How do you authenticate an antique Aubusson?
Authentication looks at age-appropriate materials (hand-spun wool, natural dyes), a genuine flat tapestry weave, period-correct design, and signs of honest wear and repair consistent with age. Some pieces carry a woven "Aubusson" signature. For valuable antiques, get a written appraisal from a qualified rug or textile specialist.
What is the difference between Persian and Aubusson rugs?
Persian rugs are hand-knotted with a raised pile and feature dense, symbolic Oriental patterns in rich colors, almost always with fringes. Aubusson rugs are flat-woven French tapestry carpets with a smooth surface, European neoclassical designs, and a softer pastel palette, never with fringes. In short: Persian is knotted pile from the Middle East; Aubusson is flat-woven from France.
Are Aubusson rugs still in style?
Yes. Aubusson rugs remain popular in traditional, transitional, and modern interiors because their soft colors and painterly designs work as a quiet, elegant foundation. Designers use them to bring warmth and a sense of history to formal rooms, entryways, and dining spaces.
Looking for a Specific Aubusson?
Tell us your room size, period, and palette (Louis XVI, Empire, Napoleon III) and we'll help you find the right piece.
Contact ModRen RugsPage content last reviewed November 2026 by Jeffrey Soleimani, founder of ModRen Rugs Inc. (established 2014, 30+ years in the antique and European rug trade).