A SILK AND GILDED METALLIC THREAD CARPET

Details

A SILK AND GILDED METALLIC THREAD CARPET
19TH CENTURY

Woven in subtle shades of blue, green, purple, cream, yellow and burgundy with a foliate dragon panel reserved on a central field of varying flower scrolls with further dragon panels at the four corners, all within three bands comprising a narrow chevron band, bordered by a wider floral band and edged with a band of stylized lotus petals, all reserved on a ground of gilded copper-wrapped threads, woven with a five-character hallmark reading Qianqing Gong Yuyong, which can be translated as "For use in the Palace of Heavenly Purity", some wear --85 1/2 x 51 in. (217.5 x 129cm.)

Lot Essay

The Qianqing Gong, or Palace of Heavenly Purity, the first of the Three Rear Halls, formerly contained the sleeping chambers of Ming emperors. During the Qing Dynasty, however, emperors began to manage state affairs from the Qianqing Gong. The Palace was eventually turned into a formal living room and offices where emperors summoned subordinates for consultation, received foreign envoys, as well as gave banquets for family members, relatives and high officials. See Wan-go Weng and Yang Boda, The Palace Museum: Peking, Treasures of the Forbidden City, 1982, p. 50

A similarly inscribed carpet was sold in these rooms, June 4, 1992, lot 160