NORTH CHINA, SECOND HALF 17TH CENTURY

The peony and scrolling leaf design of this carpet is based on a traditional Chinese textile pattern. The Deroyan ‘Peonies and scrolling leaf stem’ dais carpet has a similar field design (see Franses, M., Classical Chinese Carpets in Western Collections, London, 2002, pl. 9). The inner octagon rosette lattice border and outer fret-work border can be seen frequently on carpets from this period both as border and field designs.
Married to Theodore A. Havemeyer, Jr., Katherine Sands was known for her horticultural interests and extensive gardens at their estate “Cedar Hill” and phlox ‘Katherine” is named after her.