A Ninghsia small carpet, West China,

In his seminal article in Hali, Vol. 5, No. 2, 1982, pp. 132-140, Michael Franses noted that at that time he had identified some 70 early Ninghsia carpets with floral designs, 20 of which had superimposed medallions.  The example he illustrated, p. 132 ibid., has a similar dark blue 'stencil' leaf pattern to the lot offered here, where the primary stems are articulated on the vertical and horizontal axes and issue lobed split leaves.  Franses also noted that of examples with this leaf pattern, twelve had chrysanthemums (more commonly now referred to as peonies) and three were with lotuses.  The usual ground colour of these pieces is a dark tan (faded red).  The present example is unusual for having a mixture of both peonies and lotus flowers, symmetrically arranged in both directions, and for the use of a natural ivory wool for the ground: ivory ground Ninghsia carpets are rare.  In contrast, the border systems use a combination of warm yellows, tan and pale peach offset with light and dark blue; the framing effect created by this change of palette between field and border is also relatively unusual in Ninghsia carpets.

A Dias carpet with related field design on a tan ground is illustrated in Franses, M., Classical Chinese Carpets in Western Collections, The Textile Gallery, London, 2002, pl. 9, p. 29 and fig. 9, p. 47 and in the exhibition catalogue, König, H., & Franses, M., Glanz der Himmelssöhne, Kaiserliche Teppiche aus China 1400 - 1750, Museum für Ostasiatische Kunst, Köln, London, 2005, Cat. No. 12, pp. 77-78.