Ancient Chinese Carpets in Western Collections（1）

2024-07-12

Carpet collecting in the West has been going on since at least the 14th century, when carpets were exported to Europe from Egypt, Turkey, Persia, and India, and their aesthetic and commercial value was long understood by Western collectors. In stark contrast, classical Chinese carpets were not known in the West until the end of the Qing dynasty in the early twentieth century, and were then discovered and collected by discerning collectors (such as Louis Tiffany); in less than twenty years, a large number of Chinese antique carpets that had been brought to the West were dispersed in dozens of auctions. The "classical" period of Chinese carpets is internationally recognized as the three hundred years from the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty to the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty, during which time the carpets woven in Ningxia reached the peak of Chinese carpet as an artform. Ningxia has a long history of weaving techniques and sheep that grow high-quality carpet wool; many of the patterns of Ningxia carpets came from the court painters of the time, and a study of these unique ancient works of art reveals a perfect balance of overall design and color scheme, qualities that were not acquired by chance, but rather from 2,000 years of Chinese aesthetic tradition. In the eyes of international carpet collectors, classical Chinese carpets are undoubtedly among the finest in the world. In Western antique art auctions, carpets are a common category, and sometimes the auctions are specialized in carpet-themed collections. In the domestic auction, the carpet is still a rare category. One of the fundamental reasons for this is that there are very few fine antique carpets left in China, and the other is that a mature and professional handmade carpet market has not yet been formed in China. From Christie's and Sotheby's auctions in the past few years, we have made a representative selection of Chinese antique carpets, categorized for your enjoyment. Most of these auctions took place in London and New York, which represent two of the most mature carpet art markets in the world. Chinese antique carpets have long been the treasure of the world, and there is no doubt that they will also be the treasure of China.
April 2013, Christie's London "Oriental Rugs" sale: An early 17th century late Ming dynasty Ningxia carpet, 150*76cm. The design of the carpet is simple and uninteresting, and the weave is not very dense, but the rounded and detailed grass and dragon motifs in the center and corners suggest the use of many techniques in the weaving of the carpet, including the special soft weave of the "Ningxia button", which also reflects the carpet's noble origins.

An early 17th-century late Ming carpet (2.15 x 1.32 meters), mentioned in the catalog as having come from a Swiss collection and purchased in China at the beginning of the 20th century. The design is clearly the same as that of the Ningxia carpet "Clustered Lotus" recreated by Caravan Classics in 2006. This carpet, with only four colors, is simple, serene, and elegant.

Christie's, New York, 2014. A Ningxia carpet, in the second half of the 17th century, 5.36*4.06 meters, sold for $118,800,000. The field is filled with continuous twining chrysanthemums, while the grey-brown outmost border is a characteristic of Kangxi carpets.

A late 17th-century Ningxia carpet, 2.28*1.58 metres, sold for £32,500. A typical 17th-18th century carpet design, made in imitation of a Ming carpet during the Kangxi period. The large ground is covered with entwined chrysanthemums, with a rebate border and floral and leafy lengthening motifs.

October 2008, London, Sotheby's Sotheby's, Art from the Islamic World. Second Half of the 18th Century Ningxia Silk Carpet, 3.94*2.46 metres, Sold for £73,300 This magnificent carpet displays a classical ningxia design and contains almost every colour that can be found on a classical Chinese carpet. The entwined peonies (or Baoxianghua) in the large ground are very similar to the motifs found in Ming Dynasty porcelain and silk weaving and embroidery. The Ningxia carpet "Yongzheng's Garden", recreated by Caravan Classics in 2012, is based on this carpet.‍‍