Antique Khotan Carpet
The rugs of east Turkestan, called Khotan, Yarkand, Kashgar or more commonly Samarkand – have always represented the rarest and most coveted weavings both among interior designers and collectors. Being in perfect balance between curvilinear and geometric patterns, they show a unique iconography resulting from both the Chinese and the Indian tradition. The pattern here is composed a central Mandala element within a moon shaped roundel flanked by two other roundels of equal size containing pomegranates, symbols of fertility. The rich colouration is typical of the first quarter of the 20th century, and is characteristic of the pieces commissioned for the most prestigious interior spaces belonging to the high ranking officers and the nobility of the Tarim Basin.