The Mentor: Chinese Rugs, Vol. 4, Num. 2, Serial No. 102, March 1, 1916

ANTIQUE CHINESE RUG

Monograph Number One in The Mentor Reading Course

This attractive rug is representative of a very admirable class of Chinese floor fabrics, and illustrates in the clearest manner some interesting and important features in the rug weaving art of China.The knottage, as will be learned from the specification above, is not great.A Mohammedan sedjadeh with only 42 knots to the square inch would be held of small merit, unless it came from one of two or three districts in Asia Minor—Bergamo for example, or else had some individual element of value, such as great age, phenomenal color, or uncommon design.In China, however, as has been pointed out in the accompanying text, high textures are not accounted of large importance.

This rug is not of great antiquity, nor yet is it of very recent manufacture.It might with safety be attributed to the Kien Lung time, or some reign immediately thereafter.The best artistic tenets of Persia—so far as they appertain to rug weaving—have been conscientiously followed.The Mohammedan influence is not difficult to trace, and yet at no time can a foreign or vagrant note be discovered.The rug is thoroughly Chinese, not only in spirit but in every detail.It will bear careful study in the light of what has been said regarding the absorbent and adaptive quality of Chinese art in all ages.The border area is relatively narrow, wherein marked deference is paid to the oldest and best Chinese standards, and for all a distinctly floral character prevails, the utmost simplicity is maintained.It is a notably consistent rug.There is perfect harmony between border and center, and the most perfect manifestation of the Chinese artistic sense, perhaps, lies in the fact that, to the end of preserving simplicity and balance, the weaver has carefully refrained from “cluttering up” the border section with “guard stripes” requiring additional patterns, which in a rug of this character would have been superfluous and therefore disturbing.

Throughout the field of the rug, despite a decidedly ornate touch, there is still a careful avoidance of excess.Only two elements appear—the emblematic butterfly and floral devices, which not only are combined to form the fine medallion, but which, with the utmost refinement of handling, suffice for all the secondary and tertiary constituents of the design.

Referring again to the fidelity with which the Persian theory has been followed, observe that the design works out from a mathematically precise central point, and is built in all directions with perfect equality.Every figure has its exact counterpart on the opposite side; side or end, the balance is preserved even to the corner patterns.Given such impeccable skill in the adjustment of the design, there remains only one test point; namely, the distribution of color.Observe in this regard with what nicety the dainty touches of light and dark blue are balanced against one another, from the central medallion outward; and also how the little note of irregularity which is held of such vital importance by the superstitious Persian, even in his greatest masterpieces, is struck here by employing blue in some of the smaller field devices, butterflies and flowers alike, and omitting it from the corresponding figures at the opposite side.

Herein lies the human charm in the old weaving of Asia, the touch which makes us know the ancient weaver and his thought, across the space of lifetimes.

PREPARED BY THE EDITORIAL STAFF OF THE MENTOR ASSOCIATION
ILLUSTRATION FOR THE MENTOR, VOL. 4, No. 2, SERIAL No. 102
COPYRIGHT, 1916, BY THE MENTOR ASSOCIATION, INC.