Hooked Rug c. 1936

Elizabeth Valentine made this hooked rug, date unknown, with what we can safely assume are textiles. In its design, we see a concentration of floral motifs contained within an oval field, all surrounded by an elaborate border design. Hooked rugs such as this occupied an interesting place in the domestic sphere of turn-of-the-century America. Coming on the heels of the Arts and Crafts movement, such textiles, though often made within the home, were seen to be a form of artistry and promoted the ideal of well-made, beautiful objects that held a place of honor within the household. In some senses, rug hooking and other textile arts became a powerful means of both self-expression and economic independence for women across the country. The social and cultural history surrounding this rug, like that of so many art objects, helps us to understand its value in a fuller sense. Resources such as census records, historical societies, and even the records of textile guilds, can shed light on the practices and social networks that gave meaning to these kinds of objects.