Ningxia saddle rug

Woven in the Ningxia region of northern China, this saddle rug probably dates to the third quarter of the 19th century, possibly commissioned by a Tibetan patron or made for the general marketplace in neighboring Tibet or Mongolia The overall pattern with interlocking swastikas is a distinctly Chinese pattern, one found in silk textiles, wool weavings as well as other crafts from the area. The two medallions are classic types, probably appropriated from analogous silk brocades of the period. The border is simple, with disconnected tendrils with leaves and a single flower attached. The central panel, with the classic palette of rugs from the area – yellow with a faded hue that was probably once closer to red, a designed and not unexpected transformation with which the weavers and dyers were very familiar, often identified ‘logwood’.