China rug | 154 x 77 cm | Nr. Z-1387

China rug, light red with border and medallion

Origin	China
Dimensions	154 cm x 77 cm (= 1.19 m²)
Construction	hand-knotted
Material	Pile: wool Weft & Warp: cotton
knots per m²2	90.000
Pile height	9mm
Year of manufacture	1980
Colour	Light red
Edition	one-of-a-kind piece

Origin

Rugs were probably known in China very early on. The Mongol invasion around 1279 – the Mongols carried Central Asian rugs with them and used them as tents and saddlery – gave a boost to the local production that most likely already existed in China at the time. An exhibition in Saint Louis in the USA in 1903 then awakened interest in Chinese rugs in the Western world. Soon afterwards, rugs were being made in China purely for export to Europe and North America.

Pattern

The decorated surround (border) forms a beautiful contrast to the centre and shapes the transition at the edge of the rug.

The colouring of this China rug is artful – even though it is pared back to just a few shades. The refined arrangement of the decorative elements works especially well within the overall composition. The proportions are generous, and the floating arrangement gives them a modern feel. Typical motifs are dragons, vases and peonies on abstracted leaves and tendrils. The motifs often sit in medallions placed in the centre or in the corners. Along the edge you will frequently find geometric forms, above all interwoven swastikas. The motifs resemble those on Chinese porcelain made during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The small degree of technical variation in the making of classic China rugs is a sign of a strict tradition that follows set rules. Despite the fairly coarse execution, the pattern is worked with exceptional precision.

At the middle of this Chinese rug's central field sits the symmetrical centre, also known as the medallion. The design of the field is subordinate to the medallion, so that the medallion seems to float on the field.

The background of this China rug is light red. The border is worked in beige, light red and light green. In the centre, dark red and light green are combined.

Condition

This China rug already had admirers before you. It was hand-knotted around 1980. It has been thoroughly cleaned and is in good but only partly restored condition. The pile is worn in places. The fringes could do with a repair. We have not fully restored this China rug, because we think it has a special charm just as it is. If you would like us to, we will of course be happy to carry on restoring the rug for you. We can bring almost any rug back into near-perfect condition.

Material

China rugs are hand-knotted from silky, lustrous wool. For our high-quality China rugs, the wool is obtained by gently shearing live sheep. New wool is a renewable, natural raw material with a number of impressive properties: thanks to the natural lanolin in the wool, the surface repels droplets of water and is naturally proofed against dirt. Wool also offers excellent thermal insulation, helps regulate the indoor climate and dampens sound. The knot density is relatively low – as is typical of Chinese rugs – and the pile is left long.

The weft and warp threads of this China rug are made of cotton. This versatile material is tear-resistant and stretchy, which makes it ideal for a hard-wearing foundation weave.