Lot Essay
Warp: Cotton, white, natural, Z6S, handspun
Weft: Cotton, dyed pale blue; 3 shoots alternating: 1st and 3rd wavy, Z2S; 2 straight, Z2,3,4S
Pile: silk, Z spun floss; asymmetric open left, around 90 degree alternate warp depression; H7xV8
Sides: 1 bundle of 2 body warps wrapped in rust pile silk
Ends: top: inserted supplementary cream, natural, Z3S silk warps, cream Z2S weft faced plain weave up to 1/2 inch wide; bottom: warps as top, but only a few weft shoots remain
It is extremely difficult to give a definitive attribution for carpets from the oasis cities of Eastern Turkestan. While several authors, most notably Schürman and Bidder, specifically associated carpets to the towns of Khotan, Kashgar and Yarkand based on structural and design characteristics, it is recognized today that further study and more historical information is needed to be assured of these classifications. By the traditionally accepted structural characteristic classification, the present carpet would be considered to be from Yarkand because of its three shoots of blue-dyed cotton wefting. The fact that it is woven in silk with a fairly complex floral design would, however, also support a Kashgar attribution under the traditionally accepted stylistic classifications. Regardless, its East Turkestan origin can not be disputed and the magnificence of design and color combined here make this carpet one of the masterpieces of Central Asian weaving.
The field design of this piece is extremely unusual and no similarly designed carpet appears to exist within the known, published examples of East Turkestan carpets. However, by bizarre coincidence, the November 22, 1997 Rippon Boswell & Co. auction includes a Silk East Turkestan fragment (lot 119) with almost the exact same design. The only differences between the current carpet and the Rippon Boswell fragment are a different outer border design, a use of five pomegranate motifs in the field instead of three and the Rippon Boswell piece seems to be slightly less developed in its drawing.
The designs of most East Turkestan carpets are based on some variant of a medallion design, a floral vinery or cloud collar lattice, or a coffered/uncoffered gul or tile repeat as oppossed to the staggered rows of isolated floral sprays seen here. The individual design element of the field is most likely a highly stylized pomegranate spray, which can be seen in other East Turkestan medallion carpets in a slightly different form and used as a field filler motif (see Taylor, J. and Hoffmeister, P. "Xingjiang Rugs," Hali 85, 1996, p.97, fig. 13 and Bidder, H., Carpets from Eastern Turkestan, 1964, p.80, fig. 35; Bidder also illustrates a drawing of a similar motif as fig. 35a, p.81). The slightly oversized scale and archaic drawing of the field motifs in this carpet is more akin to the handling of motifs seen on small, silk "Kashgar" or "Yarkand" mats than it is to the drawing on other large carpets.
It is quite possible that the inspiration for the unusual design seen here is taken from Chinese textiles rather than being derived from established carpet patterns. The designs of some other East Turkestan knotted-pile pieces are also most likely based on Chinese textile patterns, notably a fragment in the Textile Museum, Washington, D.C. (see Schürmann, op. cit., p.144, fig. 68) and a Silk "Yarkand" seat cover, sold Christie's East, April 30, 1985, lot 88. Both of these examples depict an allover repeat of peony blossoms somewhat similar to the present pomegranates although they are more fluidly and realistically drawn and connected by a vinery trellis. In the 1977 Textile Museum Journal, Lousie Mackie illustrates an early 14th century Chinese silk damask fragment with a design of roundels surrounded by cloud motifs with tails arranged in staggered rows of opposite orientation. Mackie uses this textile as a design precedent for a 14th century Turkish carpet and a 15th century Spanish carpet (see Mackie, L., "Two Remarkable Fifteenth Century Carpets from Spain," Textile Museum Journal, 1977, pp.28-29, figs. 17, 18 & 19). While it is unlikely that this specific textile was the model for the present carpet or that this carpet has a direct relationship to the Turkish or Spanish examples, the design correlation that Mackie makes also applies remarkably well to the present piece. In fact, there is an uncanny similarity to the designs between the current carpet and the Turkish and Spanish carpets cited by Mackie.
The coffered gul pattern of the border seen here is a relatively common motif for East Turkestan carpets. In keeping with the unusual field design scheme, however, this pattern is more often seen in the field of carpets instead of as the major border motif. The supplemental silk warps inserted in either end of the carpet is also unusual for East Turkestan carpets and appear to be original to the piece.
Weft: Cotton, dyed pale blue; 3 shoots alternating: 1st and 3rd wavy, Z2S; 2 straight, Z2,3,4S
Pile: silk, Z spun floss; asymmetric open left, around 90 degree alternate warp depression; H7xV8
Sides: 1 bundle of 2 body warps wrapped in rust pile silk
Ends: top: inserted supplementary cream, natural, Z3S silk warps, cream Z2S weft faced plain weave up to 1/2 inch wide; bottom: warps as top, but only a few weft shoots remain
It is extremely difficult to give a definitive attribution for carpets from the oasis cities of Eastern Turkestan. While several authors, most notably Schürman and Bidder, specifically associated carpets to the towns of Khotan, Kashgar and Yarkand based on structural and design characteristics, it is recognized today that further study and more historical information is needed to be assured of these classifications. By the traditionally accepted structural characteristic classification, the present carpet would be considered to be from Yarkand because of its three shoots of blue-dyed cotton wefting. The fact that it is woven in silk with a fairly complex floral design would, however, also support a Kashgar attribution under the traditionally accepted stylistic classifications. Regardless, its East Turkestan origin can not be disputed and the magnificence of design and color combined here make this carpet one of the masterpieces of Central Asian weaving.
The field design of this piece is extremely unusual and no similarly designed carpet appears to exist within the known, published examples of East Turkestan carpets. However, by bizarre coincidence, the November 22, 1997 Rippon Boswell & Co. auction includes a Silk East Turkestan fragment (lot 119) with almost the exact same design. The only differences between the current carpet and the Rippon Boswell fragment are a different outer border design, a use of five pomegranate motifs in the field instead of three and the Rippon Boswell piece seems to be slightly less developed in its drawing.
The designs of most East Turkestan carpets are based on some variant of a medallion design, a floral vinery or cloud collar lattice, or a coffered/uncoffered gul or tile repeat as oppossed to the staggered rows of isolated floral sprays seen here. The individual design element of the field is most likely a highly stylized pomegranate spray, which can be seen in other East Turkestan medallion carpets in a slightly different form and used as a field filler motif (see Taylor, J. and Hoffmeister, P. "Xingjiang Rugs," Hali 85, 1996, p.97, fig. 13 and Bidder, H., Carpets from Eastern Turkestan, 1964, p.80, fig. 35; Bidder also illustrates a drawing of a similar motif as fig. 35a, p.81). The slightly oversized scale and archaic drawing of the field motifs in this carpet is more akin to the handling of motifs seen on small, silk "Kashgar" or "Yarkand" mats than it is to the drawing on other large carpets.
It is quite possible that the inspiration for the unusual design seen here is taken from Chinese textiles rather than being derived from established carpet patterns. The designs of some other East Turkestan knotted-pile pieces are also most likely based on Chinese textile patterns, notably a fragment in the Textile Museum, Washington, D.C. (see Schürmann, op. cit., p.144, fig. 68) and a Silk "Yarkand" seat cover, sold Christie's East, April 30, 1985, lot 88. Both of these examples depict an allover repeat of peony blossoms somewhat similar to the present pomegranates although they are more fluidly and realistically drawn and connected by a vinery trellis. In the 1977 Textile Museum Journal, Lousie Mackie illustrates an early 14th century Chinese silk damask fragment with a design of roundels surrounded by cloud motifs with tails arranged in staggered rows of opposite orientation. Mackie uses this textile as a design precedent for a 14th century Turkish carpet and a 15th century Spanish carpet (see Mackie, L., "Two Remarkable Fifteenth Century Carpets from Spain," Textile Museum Journal, 1977, pp.28-29, figs. 17, 18 & 19). While it is unlikely that this specific textile was the model for the present carpet or that this carpet has a direct relationship to the Turkish or Spanish examples, the design correlation that Mackie makes also applies remarkably well to the present piece. In fact, there is an uncanny similarity to the designs between the current carpet and the Turkish and Spanish carpets cited by Mackie.
The coffered gul pattern of the border seen here is a relatively common motif for East Turkestan carpets. In keeping with the unusual field design scheme, however, this pattern is more often seen in the field of carpets instead of as the major border motif. The supplemental silk warps inserted in either end of the carpet is also unusual for East Turkestan carpets and appear to be original to the piece.