Masterpieces of
the Qing Dynasty
(1644-1911)
The Danon Collection of
Imperial Silk & Metal Carpets
In ancient China it was believed that images, if placed in the right positions, had the power to come to life and action by moving through space and time, thus influencing the development of events.
Even in the rituals of the court it was believed that the fantastic figures, the phoenixes and the flying dragons that decorated the pavilions of the Forbidden City, actively participated in the destinies of the empire and were vehicles to undertake the journey in search of the Elixir of Immortality.
Masterpieces of
the Qing Dynasty
(1644-1911)
The Danon Collection of
Imperial Silk & Metal Carpets
The Imperial Silk and Metal Carpets were commissioned during the early Qing dynasty (1644–1911) to adorn the halls and pavilions of the Forbidden City.
Woven from silk and adorned with copper, silver and gold threads, these rare and valuable carpets offer insight into the rituals and ceremonial life of the imperial court. As well as their decorative function, Chinese imperial carpets also played a symbolic and practical role in significant events, including commemorative ceremonies and shamanic rituals presided over by the emperor.
The intricate motifs woven into the carpets formed auspicious cosmological diagrams intended to bestow harmony and a positive influence upon their surroundings. Within these compositions, the emperor was depicted as the axis mundi, acting as a mediator between heaven and earth.
Masterpieces of
the Qing Dynasty
(1644-1911)
The Danon Collection of
Imperial Silk & Metal Carpets
Masterpieces of
the Qing Dynasty
(1644-1911)
The Danon Collection of
Imperial Silk & Metal Carpets
During the second half of the 19th century, many silk and metal carpets were sent to the Western world as prestigious diplomatic gifts to foreign delegations visiting China. Today, only 390 examples of Qing-era silk and metal carpets are known to survive, preserved in private collections and major museums including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Minneapolis Institute of Art and the Schneiberg Museum.
Bibliography:
J.F., Haskins, Imperial Carpets from Peking, University of Pittsburgh, 1973
The Flower of Buddha, Silk and Metal carpets from the Forbidden City, Textilia, 2006
Il Drago e il Fiore d’Oro, MAO Museo d’Arte Orientale, Turin 2015
I Tappeti dell’Elisir, Museo Schneiberg, Turin 2024