LATE 19TH CENTURY

The three Chinese characters in the upper border read; 'Taihedian, The Hall of Great Harmony'. This hall is considered as being the grandest and most important building that stands at the heart of the immense Forbidden City palace complex. Built originally in 1420, the hall suffered a series of devastating fires but its final restoration was completed in 1695. Considered to be one of the most ornately decorated of all of the Palaces' buildings, the walls bore stylised floating dragons and at its centre there was a golden throne with nine dragon sculptures. The hall was used for grand ceremonies such as the Emperor's enthronement, his wedding and the ceremony for conferring the Empress. During these occasions the Emperor came to the hall to receive congratulations from the civil and military officials. In addition, the Emperor met high-ranking officials and dispatched generals to the battles from this place.

The design of the present carpet is very closely related to a similar carpet that was sold in Christie's New York, Robert Hatfield Ellsworth Part I, 17 March 2015, lot 51. That example was less brightly coloured than the present carpet and may have been woven very slightly earlier than ours. Another smaller carpet of similar design but closer in colouring to ours, sold in Christie's, New York, 28 July 2015, lot 724.