Antique Chinese Rug, China, c. 1900– Drawn in a lavish, iconographic style, this outstanding antique Chinese rug features a resplendent landscape scene embellished with a selection of auspicious figures. The dramatic mountain valley scene opens with steep polychrome peaks that feature undulating lines and delicate floral decorations. The grand slopes and rounded hills frame a pair of graceful deer, which feature elegantly patterned fur and represent a potent symbol of longevity. Swooping bian fu bats fly through the air and fill the open papyrus-colored ground that separates the graceful deer from the beautifully drawn cranes.
Arching evergreen branches with stylized needle-like foliage frame the gentile animals and appear again atop neighboring peaks in a small-scale form that gives the stylized composition depth and perspective. The beauty of the classical Chinese composition is redoubled in the phenomenal borders, which feature a stunning collection of repeating floral patterns separated by decorative cartouches that contain ornamental treasures.
