SOUTH CENTRAL TIBET, CIRCA 1900

Due to the cool climate, hand knotted pile rugs were used widely across Tibet and the abundance of high quality wool lent itself to their weaving. They were made in a great variety of sizes and for different purposes such as for sitting and sleeping (khaden), cushion covers (gyabnye), saddle rugs (magden), large rugs/carpets (sabden) and runners (kjongring) used for monastery benches and seat covers (kagangma). Given the size of the present lot and its relatively fine weave, we can assume that this was intended as a seat cover (Diana K. Myers, Temple, Household, Horseback: Rugs of the Tibetan Plateau, Washington, 1984, p.53), to be used for special occasions by a senior monk or lahma. The depiction of a tiger's pelt holds great significance in Buddhist monastic teachings and refers to the lahma's struggle to tame the ego-centred mind and the rich gold and orange colours are very much in keeping with the Buddhist palette. A slightly larger khaden, displaying the same tiger-pelt design and decorative borders can be found in the collection of Rudi Molacek, discussed by Thomas Wild in his article, 'Tibet's tradition in indigo', Hali, 181, fig.7. Alongside a number of weavings, Wild, illustrates an old black and while photograph, which captures a religious ceremony held on a number of Tibetan rugs including an almost identical seat cover to the present lot. The central placement of this particular rug is, according to Wild, no mere accident, and reinforces the tiger's power within Buddhist traditions. (Hali, op.cit. fig.2).