This early 20th-century Chinese Art Deco rug is a true gem, blending storytelling, symbolism, and style in a richly woven composition. The golden field glows with warmth, drawing the eye to a charming garden landscape nestled in the lower left corner: a delicate lotus rises in the foreground, while a solitary fisherman floats by in a tiny boat, with a pagoda tucked in the distance. In the upper right, a gracefully arched tree branch hosts a brilliantly colored phoenix—a symbol of rebirth and luck—perched mid-pose. The rich brown border is nothing short of extraordinary, filled with scrolling vines and a cascade of cherry blossoms in a kaleidoscope of colors. Chinese Art Deco rugs like this one helped define the elegance of the 1920s and ’30s, merging traditional Chinese motifs with the glamour and modernity of the Art Deco movement. Dramatic yet serene, this rug is a masterpiece underfoot.
