Le spire del drago, il fiore e la nuvola. Il Museo del Tappeto Antico di Brescia guarda alla Cina
The Museo Internazionale del Tappeto Antico (MITA) in Brescia, Italy, has opened a new exhibition titled "Le trame del dragone. Tappeti cinesi delle dinastie imperiali" (The Dragon's Wefts: Chinese Carpets of the Imperial Dynasties). The show presents around forty antique Chinese carpets from the MITA collection, the world's most important private collection of antique rugs, assembled by Romain Zaleski and housed in a glass cube designed by OBR. Curated by Giovanni Valagussa, the exhibition traces the history of Chinese carpet-making from the 15th to the 19th century, highlighting two main typologies: red-ground rugs from the Xinjiang region with geometric and floral motifs, and gold-and-blue rugs from the Ming and Qing capitals featuring dragon and auspicious symbols. The exhibition is free and runs until June.
This exhibition matters because it brings to light a lesser-known but richly syncretic tradition of Chinese carpet weaving, demonstrating how Central Asian influences were absorbed and transformed within Chinese imperial culture. By showcasing pieces from the prestigious MITA collection, the show underscores the importance of private collections in preserving and presenting global textile heritage. It also offers a rare opportunity for the public to engage with these intricate works free of charge, reinforcing MITA's role as a cultural hub in Brescia and contributing to broader cross-cultural understanding between Italy and China.