DRAGONS AND BATS
Imperial Workshops of Peking, China
Qing dynasty (1644-1911)
Qianlong period (1736-1795)
cm 129 x 210
Silk, gilded copper
Art Loss Register certificate
XRF (X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy) by ENEA 2019
Provenance: From the collection of Charles Grosbois (1893-1972), principal of the École française de Shanghai 1918, of the Alliance française, Chine 1920, vicepresident of the Royal asiatic society Shanghai.
Exhibited: KUNLUN - The Elixir Carpets, Schneiberg Museum, Turin, 2022
Provenance Note
The Dragons and Bats carpet originates from a distinguished private collection, whose early provenance traces back to Charles Grosbois (1893-1972), a prominent figure in the French cultural presence in early 20th-century China.
Grosbois served as Principal of the École française de Shanghai beginning in 1918, an elite institution central to France’s cultural diplomacy in East Asia. His influence extended beyond education: he was also Vice President of the Royal Asiatic Society of Shanghai, one of the oldest and most respected scholarly institutions in Asia, and played an active role in the Alliance Française in China during the 1920s.
During his years in China, Grosbois assembled a refined collection of Chinese decorative arts, with a particular focus on imperial textiles. His prominent position within Shanghai’s international academic and cultural circles gave him privileged access to specialized markets and private sources of rare and valuable objects.
The Dragons and Bats carpet originates from a distinguished private collection, whose early provenance traces back to Charles Grosbois (1893-1972), a prominent figure in the French cultural presence in early 20th-century China.
Grosbois served as Principal of the École française de Shanghai beginning in 1918, an elite institution central to France’s cultural diplomacy in East Asia. His influence extended beyond education: he was also Vice President of the Royal Asiatic Society of Shanghai, one of the oldest and most respected scholarly institutions in Asia, and played an active role in the Alliance Française in China during the 1920s.
During his years in China, Grosbois assembled a refined collection of Chinese decorative arts, with a particular focus on imperial textiles. His prominent position within Shanghai’s international academic and cultural circles gave him privileged access to specialized markets and private sources of rare and valuable objects.
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