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拍品專文
The Chinese five character inscription reads: Jing ren gong bei yong (For use in the Palace of Great Benevolence)
This carpet is one of a group of so-called ‘palace’ carpets supposedly woven for the palaces of Beijing’s Forbidden City during the Qing dynasty. The inscription of this example states that it was woven to adorn the Palace of Great Benevolence - one of the 'Six Eastern Palaces' in the inner court of the Forbidden City. First built in 1420, this palace faces south within the complex and houses a stone screen inside the main entrance which is said to date from the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). Originally it was the residence for the emperors’ concubines in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). In the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Emperor Kangxi (r.1661-1722) was born and lived here temporarily. After that time, it was used by the emperors’ wives.
The elegant field design displaying mirrored pavilions flanked by swooping cranes and a partially submerged sea dragon within each spandrel is particularly close to another ‘palace’ carpet currently exhibited in ‘Kulun – The Elixir Carpets’ at the Museo Schneiberg, Turin and illustrated in HALI, no. 206, winter 2020, p. 107. Two further, slightly larger, carpets of comparable design were sold at Sotheby’s, London, 5 November 2008, lot 174 and 9 November 2011, lot 133.
This carpet is one of a group of so-called ‘palace’ carpets supposedly woven for the palaces of Beijing’s Forbidden City during the Qing dynasty. The inscription of this example states that it was woven to adorn the Palace of Great Benevolence - one of the 'Six Eastern Palaces' in the inner court of the Forbidden City. First built in 1420, this palace faces south within the complex and houses a stone screen inside the main entrance which is said to date from the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). Originally it was the residence for the emperors’ concubines in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). In the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Emperor Kangxi (r.1661-1722) was born and lived here temporarily. After that time, it was used by the emperors’ wives.
The elegant field design displaying mirrored pavilions flanked by swooping cranes and a partially submerged sea dragon within each spandrel is particularly close to another ‘palace’ carpet currently exhibited in ‘Kulun – The Elixir Carpets’ at the Museo Schneiberg, Turin and illustrated in HALI, no. 206, winter 2020, p. 107. Two further, slightly larger, carpets of comparable design were sold at Sotheby’s, London, 5 November 2008, lot 174 and 9 November 2011, lot 133.