Early Chinese Silk Textile Fragment

43.5 x 18 cm (1' 5" x 7")
China, 16th century
Condition: fragment, mounted on frame
Warp: silk, weft: silk

In this precious silk fragment, steppe horses gallop across the primordial ocean. Rising from it is the sacred Mount Meru, which represents the center of the physical, metaphysical, and spiritual universes. The crests of the waves and the horses' wings, drawn like fire, convey the power and dynamism of the scene.
The winged horse Pegasus originates from ancient Greek mythology; it was born from the blood of Medusa. This symbolism may have been transferred to Alexander the Great's campaign in Persia. In the Sassanid Empire (224 - 642), the winged horse was depicted on both silver plates and silk textiles. Winged animals were considered in Central Asia to be the carriers of the souls of the dead to heaven and are often found on Sogdian silks.
When the depiction of the winged horse reached China, it was interpreted as the "horse of the West," referring to the horses that China imported from Central Asia. The motif was also referred to as the "heavenly horse," as in the present textile. Both names are associated with the speed and endurance of this tough breed.
The winged horse also appears in Chinese textiles on the so-called rank badges, the square insignia of Chinese officials and military personnel. The ninth rank of the military shows a winged horse and is extremely rare. To this day, the wind horse is the national symbol of Mongolia.

Estimate: € 3000 - 4000