Tibetan Pile Rug with Tiger Motif

Wide brown stripes ripple down a tawny field like a tiger who sat still

This pile rug with tiger motif is from Tibet, and dates to the early 20th century. It is wool. Most pile carpets were made by women of every class, from nobles' daughters to nomadic mothers, and weavers enjoyed considerable artistic freedom compared with makers of strictly regulated religious art. A tall, narrow rug with irregular brown stripes spreading across a light tan ground. The pattern thickens near the middle and thins toward the ends. A small fringe sits at the top and bottom, and the pile is lightly worn.

Stripes this confident need no tiger in them.