Rug with Tiger Pelt Pattern and Confronting Dragons
N°
02359
Period
Circa 1800
Origin
Kansu, East Turkestan
Materials
Wool
Status
Available
Size
174 cm x 1005'8" x 3'3"
This rug with tiger pelt pattern and confronting dragons belongs to a small group of weavings recently defined as RKO because of their distinctive design, consisting of a sequence of bands with strokes and dashes that are reminiscent of the sonic sound waves present on the logo of the RKO motion picture company. The structural characteristics of this piece, together with the type of wool employed, indicate its origin to the district of Kansu, of which we know only fifteen examples. The field pattern is clearly a rendition of a tiger pelt, which was already in use during the Ming Dynasty, at the center of which we see a Greek fret medallion composed of a pair of stylised, affronting dragons.