Tibetan saddle rug

Pictorial rugs from Tibet are quite popular, and coveted by the Tibetans themselves. The borders featuring dragons chasing stylized jewels throughout the border is quite a nice feature as are the flaming jewels on the narrow secondary border flanking the walnut brown field. The snow lion is the national animal of Tibet, a mythical and beloved creature often depicted in these rugs and elsewhere too including religious paintings known as ‘tangkhas’. The different shades of indigo blue seen – dark midnight blue of the primary border, a lighter blue green with abrash in the secondary border and the lovely light blue seen in one half of the central pile panel – are nice features, suggesting the dyer was familiar with the process of working with indigo, exercising a degree of expertise not often seen. It is no wonder pictorial weavings of this type have been collected by both Tibetans and westerners as these endearing creatures are playful and a joy to behold.