Page 275 - Sotheby's October 3 2017 Chinese Art
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In his seminal article on early Chinese carpets from 1982, Michael Franses, ‘Early Ningxia Carpets in the Victoria and
(‘Early Ningxia Carpets in the Victoria and Albert Museum’, Albert Museum’, Hali, vol. 5, no. 2, 1982, fig. 16, illustrates a
Hali, vol. 5, no. 2, 1982, pp. 132-140), Michael Franses noted he comparable ‘Hundred Antiques’ pattern carpet (287 by 170
had located just thirteen carpets with the ‘Hundred Antiques’ cm), from The St. Louis Art Museum, gift of James F. Ballard
pattern in total, ten of which, as here, are woven vertically. (inv. no. 126-1929).
The composition of these carpets shows a new design type,
omitting a central medallion and corner spandrels (see Lot See the ‘Kelekian meditation carpet’ for another closely
3644) and clearly directional; the carpet is designed for related example, illustrated Spuhler, Friedrich, The Thyssen-
contemplation, and was probably placed in front of a kang Bornemisza Collection: Carpets and Textiles, London, 1988,
or a day bed. The motifs used include those associated with pp. 206-235, no. 62, pp. 226-229, and Hans König and Michael
Daoist, Buddhist and Confucian beliefs; selections from the Franses, Exhibition catalogue, Glanz der Himmelssöhne:
Eight Precious Objects and scholars’ objects. Amongst the Kaiserliche Teppiche aus China 1400-1750 [Splendours of Sons
objects depicted here can be seen abacuses, fruit bowls, bells of Heaven: Classical Chinese Carpets 1400-1750], Museum
with stands, brushpots, fans, vases of flowers, baskets, ewers, für Ostasiatische Kunst, Cologne, 2005-2006, London,
musical pipes (sheng), archaic bronzes, tea pots and covered 2005, cat. no. 65, pp. 173-175, 207; (also woven vertically).
teacups, game boards, scrolls and bonsais (penjing), together For a rug with the field covered with symbolic objects and
with a flaming pearl and a musical chime (qing). The depictions selection of a hundred antiques, with alternating orientation in
of the ‘Hundred Antiques’ pattern are consistent with the each half of the rug (214 by 124 cm), Qianlong period (1735-
Chinese eighteenth century repertoire. It is a highly aesthetic 1799), Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, (probably late
carpet design intended for a Chinese home and not for export: eighteenth century), see Gordon Leitch, Chinese Rugs, New
the contemporary porcelain decorated with these motifs, York, 1935, pl. 14, pp. 55-56.
together with the restrained furniture and carpets would have
harmonised perfectly when placed together. For comprehensive discussion and technical analysis of
Chinese carpets, and comparable eighteenth century
meditation carpets see Hans König and Michael Franses,
op.cit.
IMPORTANT CHINESE ART 273
