Rare Antique Pictorial Mongolian Rug - 7'11 x 8'4

The pictorial rug was handwoven in Mongolia during the mid to late 19th century.  The rug depicts a natural scene primarily of horses and deer near two rivers amongst mountains, trees, and other vegetation. The color palette is minimal but effective with soft browns, a desirable faded purple, ivory, and a deep oxidized brown/black. The rosette latticed main border features the same palette on an ivory ground and is sandwiched between a bent ribbon minor border and a frame of solid purple. In addition to its considerable age and pleasing palette, the rug also showcases both artistic and technical merit. A striking mandala-like medallion sits near its center which surprisingly works in providing harmony and balance to the detailed piece. The two rivers flanking the mandala are rendered as ravines and cut a jagged path through the landscape. Heathered gradations of brown, purple, and ivory have been used to create the leaves on the trees which are more apparent in the larger trees but vi