Peter Pap Rugs Brings Illustrated Lecture and Inaugural Antique Rug Trunk Show to the Tiverton Four Corners Arts Center
TIVERTON, R.I. The Tiverton Four Corners Arts Center will present Understanding Antique Rugs: Exploring the History and Learning the Finer Points of Color and Design in Rugs Woven Before 1900, an illustrated lecture by internationally respected rug scholar, collector, author, and educator Peter Pap, on Tuesday, August 4, 2026. The lecture will be followed by the Arts Center’s inaugural Antique Rug Trunk Show, presented in partnership with Peter Pap Rugs, from Wednesday, August 5, through Friday, August 7. Together, the events offer collectors, designers, and enthusiasts a rare opportunity to explore museum-quality antique rugs while gaining insight into one of the world’s oldest and most sophisticated art forms.
A leading authority on historic carpets and textiles, Pap has spent more than five decades studying, collecting, exhibiting, and writing about antique rugs. Drawing on a lifetime of scholarship and connoisseurship, his lecture explores the artistic, cultural, and historical significance of these remarkable works while revealing how color, design, and craftsmanship distinguish the finest examples. Following the lecture, guests will have the opportunity to view and acquire a selection of antique rugs woven before 1900, chosen for their exceptional artistry, historical significance, and outstanding state of preservation. The inaugural Antique Rug Trunk Show and Benefit Sale, marks the first program of its kind presented by the Tiverton Four Corners Arts Center. Ten percent of proceeds from rug sales will benefit the Arts Center, reflecting a shared commitment to supporting its mission while introducing audiences to one of the world’s oldest and most sophisticated artistic traditions.
“Every great antique rug is both a work of art and the autobiography of its weaver,” says Pap. “The finest examples reward a lifetime of looking because they reveal history, culture, and extraordinary artistic expression in every knot.”
The event also coincides with the publication of Pap’s feature essay, “The Great Beigeing of Decor,” in the July/August 2026 issue of The Magazine ANTIQUES. In the article, he examines the growing preference for neutral interiors and argues for the enduring power of color, craftsmanship, and individuality in the home.
During the lecture, Pap will also discuss the history of the term “Oriental rug.” Long used by museums, scholars, and collectors to describe handmade rugs woven across a broad geographic region, the term is increasingly being replaced by more geographically specific descriptions that better reflect the distinct cultures and weaving traditions from which these works originate.
Following the lecture, guests will enjoy a preview of the trunk show before it opens to the public on August 5. As with fine art, collectors are invited to take rugs home on approval to experience them in their own interiors before making a final decision. Pap will also offer private in-home consultations and appraisals by appointment.
Event Information
Understanding Antique Rugs: Exploring the History and Learning the Finer Points of Color and Design in Rugs Woven Before 1900
Illustrated Lecture with Peter Pap and Opening Reception
Tuesday, August 4, 2026
Illustrated Lecture: 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Opening Reception: 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Four Corners Arts Center, 3850 Main Road, Tiverton, RI 02878
Reservations:
Inaugural Antique Rug Trunk Show
Wednesday, August 5 – Friday, August 7
Open daily
9:00–11:00 a.m.
4:00–7:00 p.m.
About Peter Pap Rugs
Founded more than fifty years ago, Peter Pap Rugs specializes in exceptional antique rugs and historic textiles from the great weaving traditions of Europe, the Middle East, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and beyond. Based in Dublin, New Hampshire, with a presence in San Francisco, the gallery is recognized for its scholarly approach, museum-quality inventory, and commitment to educating collectors, designers, and institutions. Peter Pap is an internationally recognized lecturer and published author whose essays have appeared in leading publications, including The Magazine ANTIQUES. He served for sixteen seasons as a guest appraiser on PBS’s Antiques Roadshow and has exhibited for twenty-seven consecutive years at The Winter Show in New York, in addition to exhibiting at the Delaware Antiques Show, two of the nation’s premier antiques fairs.
About Four Corners Arts Center
Founded in 1993, the Four Corners Arts Center is a federally recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the arts in Tiverton Four Corners and the surrounding coastal communities. Located at 3848 Main Road, the campus includes more than an acre of landscaped grounds featuring sculpture, exhibitions, concerts, dance, theater, and special events. At its heart is the Meeting House, inspired by traditional New England Quaker architecture and serving as a year-round venue for lectures, performances, and cultural programming.