Rare Monumental Carpet with Lotus Flower Design
Rare Monumental Ivory Background Carpet with Lotus Flower Design
This exceptionally rare and monumental carpet features an ivory background adorned with a harmonious pattern of blue and light blue scrolling lotus flowers. These flowers are elegantly connected by fine tendrils and long leaves with cloud-like contours.
In a seminal study on early Chinese carpets (M. Franses, “Early Ninghsia Carpets,” Hali, vol. 5, no. 2, London 1983, pp. 132-140), a group of seventy carpets with floral field patterns were identified, with only three showcasing lotus flower designs. A very similar carpet can be found in the Textile Museum in Washington, D.C. (see C.I. Rostov, J. Guanyan, “Chinese Carpets,” New York 1983, pl. 81, pp. 136-137).
The main border of this carpet is decorated with yellow peony blossoms on a blue ground, complemented by an inner Greek fret guard stripe. This design is also seen on a carpet depicted in a Chinese ancestor portrait of the Qing dynasty (see M. Franses, op.cit.).
Additionally, a fragment with a very similar pattern on a yellow ground has been recently published in the catalogue of an important exhibition on early Chinese carpets (H. König, M. Franses, “Glanz der Himmelssoehne – Kaiserliche Teppiche aus China 1400-1750,” London 2005, pl. 81, pp. 136-137).