Vloerkleed met geometrische figuren 1921

Editor: Here we have "Vloerkleed met geometrische figuren," or "Rug with Geometric Figures," made in 1921 by Carel Adolph Lion Cachet. It's currently held at the Rijksmuseum, and it's crafted from textile. There's a real sense of history in this piece. What stands out to you? Curator: What I see is the echo of centuries. Geometric patterns, particularly those arranged in a circular mandala form, have carried spiritual and cosmological weight across many cultures. Think of Tibetan sand mandalas, or even the rose windows of Gothic cathedrals. Does the artist perhaps tap into this collective memory? Editor: I never thought about those parallels! Do you think he was consciously referencing those traditions? Curator: Consciously or unconsciously, symbols speak. The repeating geometric forms, while aesthetically pleasing, also suggest order and containment. Note the Arts and Crafts movement influence; a desire to return to hand-crafted, meaningful design against the rise of industrialization. What might this return signify to the artist and its viewers? Editor: Perhaps a longing for a simpler, more connected past? The intricate pattern definitely feels intentional, not mass-produced. It’s almost a protective emblem, warding off something. Curator: Exactly! Notice also how the textile medium itself softens the geometry. It's not cold and sterile; there's a warmth, an invitation to interact. The colours also hint at a global visual language—a memory, as I said. Can you place it? Editor: I see North African motifs… Maybe even a bit of early Persian rug design in the colour palettes? Curator: Precisely. It all connects! The artist takes forms rooted in history and uses the craft of textile design to make something both beautiful and deeply resonant with the human need for order, protection, and connection to our collective visual past. It has layers! Editor: I love how the conversation opened this piece up. I saw a rug, but now it has much deeper symbolism to consider. Thanks!