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Lot Essay
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 fleeting appearance at dusk. Bats are also a symbol of longevity because of their habit of hanging upside down and remaining motionless.
There are a number of known variants of the 'key-fret and bat' lattice which are listed by Michael Franses, 'Early Ninghsia Carpets', HALI, Vol 5, No 2, p.139, where he cites nine recorded examples displaying an indigo lattice set upon a beige ground, overlaid with bats, as in the present rug. Another example was formerly in the Wher collection, (Franses, op.cit. fig.12) while a smaller seating mat is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, bequeathed in 1949 by Ellis Gray Seymour, (Acc. No. 49.6.1).
There are a number of known variants of the 'key-fret and bat' lattice which are listed by Michael Franses, 'Early Ninghsia Carpets', HALI, Vol 5, No 2, p.139, where he cites nine recorded examples displaying an indigo lattice set upon a beige ground, overlaid with bats, as in the present rug. Another example was formerly in the Wher collection, (Franses, op.cit. fig.12) while a smaller seating mat is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, bequeathed in 1949 by Ellis Gray Seymour, (Acc. No. 49.6.1).