Saddle rugs from China and Beyond

Category: Book reviews

Dragon and Horse
Dragon and Horse

Drs. Koos de Jong’s newly published book ‘Dragon & Horse – Saddle Rugs and Other Horse Tack from China and Beyond‘  has got a lot of attention from collectors and scholars. The first presentation of his new English-Chinese edition took place 27 April 2013 in Utrecht and has already been followed by international presentations and lectures in Hong Kong, Beijing and Baku. More presentations will follow, among them a presentation at the Sartirana Textile Show in September 2013.

The book is about the origin and development of the tack for horses and other riding and pack animals from the 5th century BC up to the 20th century AD and it is based on a research into representations of saddle rugs in Chinese painting, sculpture and applied arts.

“It’s amazing. Not just a rug-book, but a real essay on horse riding in China and neighboring countries through the centuries… and so well illustrated. I look forward to the presentation in Sartirana” said Alberto Boralevi, Chair of the ICOC Academic Comittee and organizer of the annual Sartirana Textile Show.

Lecture by Koos de Jong about saddle rugs. This lecture took place after the presentation of his book 28 May 2013 during the Asia Week in Hong Kong.
Tibetan under saddle rug exhibited by Koos de Jong at Sartirana Textile Show 2011

Drs. Koos de Jong graduated in art history, medieval archaeology and archival science at the University of Amsterdam in 1976. Active since 1976 up to 2009 successively as scientific staff-member, vice-director and director at several arts and historical museums. Since 2009 he has expanded his authorship and done researches into Oriental carpets in Dutch historic collections and into Chinese, Mongolian and Tibetan carpets. He is also a collector of Chinese art and Oriental carpets.

More articles: Saddle rug exhibition by Koos de Jong at the Sartirana Textile Show 2011, Saddle Rugs from China: De Jong – De Roode Collection

More information: www.dragonandhorse.com


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