Mounted Early 20th Century Diné Eye Dazzler Rug

Details

Description

There was a brief moment, between the exuberant Germantown blankets of the late nineteenth century and the highly regional trading … Read more There was a brief moment, between the exuberant Germantown blankets of the late nineteenth century and the highly regional trading post designs that followed, when Diné (Navajo) weavers looked backward as confidently as they looked ahead. This Eye Dazzler belongs to that conversation. Woven circa 1930–1940, it revives the electrifying geometry of its nineteenth-century predecessors, yet tempers the palette with restrained coral reds, rich browns, ivory, and black, a combination more characteristic of the second quarter of the twentieth century than the Victorian exuberance that inspired it. The remarkably fine weave and razor-sharp serrated diagonals reveal the hand of an accomplished weaver whose technical mastery rivals the boldness of the design itself. Professionally mounted to a linen-wrapped stretcher, it now hangs with the authority of a painting, equally compelling in a modern interior, a Western cabin, or alongside a carefully assembled collection of contemporary art. Some rugs belong on the floor. This one has earned its place on the wall. See less