Tibetan rug

Woven with thick lustrous Tibetan wool, this small Tibetan piece is a tactile delight. Stylistically, it is based on the design of older Ningxia carpets from northern China. The reciprocal border is a classic Ningxia variant from the eighteenth century and the pearl minor border, fret corner-pieces and garlanded medallions all derive from the corpus of Chinese design. Though attempting to replicate the subdued palette of Chinese pieces, it seems that the Tibetan weaver of this piece could not contain herself and has added an extra green and several hues of blue.

Collection of William Hamilton