Page 211 - Irving Collection Part II Chinese Art

1306
n A NINGXIA CARPET
NORTHWEST CHINA, QING DYNASTY,
18TH/19TH CENTURY

Having polychrome bats on the rose and
salmon wan-fret feld within solid maize and
dark brown borders
Approximately 10 ft. 8 in. x 6 ft. 7 in.
(325 cm. x 201 cm.)
$8,000-10,000

PROVENANCE
Alice Boney, New York, 8 November 1982.
The Irving Collection, no. 827.
Bat imagery is associated with
auspiciousness in Chinese art dating back
to the Han dynasty. The pronunciation of
“bat” in Chinese is “fú”, the same as that
of “blessing”, but there is also a poetic
reference to their quick and feeting
appearance at dusk. Bats are also a
symbol of longevity because of their habit
of hanging upside down and staying
motionless.

For a very similar rug with bats on a
wan-fret feld, please see Glanz der
Himmelssöhne: Kaiserliche Teppiche aus
China 1400-1750, London, 2005, pl. 44,
p. 130.

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