Tibetan rug

Antique Tibetan rugs are known for their sturdy construction and thick soft wool. This piece uses a classic Tibetan format for small rugs and saddle tops. A central medallion based on roundels found on imported Chinese textiles of the Ming and Ching periods is drawn against an intense madder ground. Stylized clouds float above and below. The composition of this piece—complete with its central medallion, fret corner pieces and various borders, including pearl ornamented and a simplified Greek key border—may be derived from that of northern Chinese carpets from Ningxia during the Kangxi period. The intensity of color and tactile large-knotted weave, however, are quintessentially Tibetan.