Rare carpet bearing the inscription "intended for use in the Palace of Bravery" (Wuyingdian), 19th century, Quing Dynasty (1644-1911), Imperial China.
Silk.
Carpet with six dragons in the center on a saffron-colored field, internal border of swastika pattern, and on each side stylized mountains emerge from the waves and foam, symbol of the sea.
The dragons rising from the clouds of the sea symbolize the union of cosmic forces. It is the harmonious combination of these forces, which is significant for Chinese spirituality. Dragons represent energy, light, sky, while clouds represent passivity, darkness and earth. The colours of the carpet also reflect these three worlds, the blue evoking the sea and the sky evokes purity and serenity, yellow or the colour of the earth is the Emperor's emblem, red evokes life. The swastika motif means the continuity of life.
Through the dragon the presence of the Emperor is omnipresent whether it is with five claws or three claws for the aquatic dragon. This carpet illustrates the Emperor's domination over the three worlds: the underground world illustrated by the striped border, the aquatic world materialized by the blue waves, and the terrestrial world represented by the rocky peaks emerging from the waves. It contains elements typical of Chinese symbolism such as the Pearl of Purity and Perfection, one of the Eight Precious Things, the Lotus Flowers, the Vase, the Endless Node, Buddhist emblems of the Good Omen, or the Books, emblems of the Four Fine Arts.
A carpet comparable in decoration and texture to the Palais de l'Harmonie Préservée is published by Valérie Bérinstain in the book Tapis dans le Monde, it probably adorned a high dignitary residence.
The Imperial period carpets covered the walls or furniture and were arranged in a succession of rooms around a courtyard, as shown on the map of the Forbidden City. Here the inscription promotes Bravery, but we can mention Tranquillity and Longevity, Preserved Harmony, Supreme Harmony, Compassion, Tranquility, Eternal Benevolence...
Good condition, some restorations of use.
H: 2.76 - L: 1.87 m and the 1st cover
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Valérie Bérinstain: Les tapis de l'Empire du Milieu in L'Art du tapis dans le Monde. Mengès 1996. pp. 212-223. See Comparable carpet p. 218.
Hans Bidder: Carpets from Eastern Turkestan, Accokeek Washington International Associates, 1979.
M.S. Dimand, Jean Mailey. New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1973.
Murray Eiland: Chinese and Exotic Rugs, London, Zwemmers, 1979.
Jean Mailey: Rugs of China and Chinese Turkestan, in Oriental Rugs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Antique Chinese carpets. Masterpieces from the Te-Chun Wang Rippon & Boswell Collection. Frankfurt. 1978.
Exhibition Museo d'Arte Orientale. Palazzo Mazzonis. Il Drago e il Fiore d'Oro. Potere e magia nei Tappeti della Cina Imperiale. 2016 Torino. Torino