Page 136 - Sothebys Important Chinese Art April 3 2018

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PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN 清末 絲絨掐金線五龍八吉祥地毯
AN IMPERIAL SILK AND METALLIC 《乾清宮御用》款
THREAD CARPET
來源：
LATE QING DYNASTY
香港佳士得2005年5月30日，編號1288
brightly woven against a ground of gilded copper-
wrapped threads, depicting in the centre a coiled
dragon in frontal pose with the beribboned babao
(eight precious objects) around, framed above
and below by four further dragons writhing
amongst cloud scrolls contesting flaming pearls,
further encircled by bands of circles and stylised
floral sprays, bordered by rectangular cartouches
enclosing endless knots and the an baxian
(Attributes of the Eight Immortals) reserved
against a floral diaper ground, the top edge with
an inscription reading Qianqing Gong yuyong (‘For
the Imperial use in the Palace of Heavenly Purity’)
256 by 155.5 cm, 100¾ by 61¼ in.
PROVENANCE
Christie’s Hong Kong, 30th May 2005, lot 1288.

HK$ 200,000-300,000
US$ 25,600-38,400

The inscription on the present rug reads Qianqing
Gong yuyong which can be translated as ‘For the
imperial use in the Palace of Heavenly Purity’.
Located at the northern end of the Forbidden
City, the Qianqing Gong was one of the three
main palaces in the inner court. During the
Ming dynasty, it served as the emperors’ living
quarters, but during the Qing dynasty the
emperors used it as an audience hall for meetings
with the Grand Council, receiving foreign envoys,
and holding banquets.
Two other rare carpets created for the Qianging
Gong, decorated with rows of geometric motifs
and lacking the more elaborate dragon design
of the current carpet, were sold at auction, the
first sold in our London rooms, 12th July 2006,
lot 114; and another more recently in our New
York rooms, 15th March 2017, lot 592. decorated
with dragons and inscribed with Qianqing Gong
beiyong (reserved for imperial use in the Palace
of Heavenly Purity), was sold in these rooms,
16th-17th September 2014, lot 208. See also
an example, For an earlier example with similar
design, see a Ming dynasty rug in the Palace
Museum collection, Beijing, illustrated in Classics
of the Forbidden City. Carpets in the Collection of
the Palace Museum, Beijing, 2010, p. 32.

134 SOTHEBY’S 蘇富比