Rug c. 20th century

This rug was created by a Navajo artist using wool. The eye is immediately drawn to the geometry of the patterns—the vertical stripes in cream, yellow and reddish-brown, flanked by zig-zagging arrows. This composition evokes a sense of structured harmony, yet the hand-spun quality introduces subtle irregularities, disrupting any rigid interpretation. The verticality in the pattern emphasizes the warp and weft of the weaving process, making visible the underlying structure of the textile medium itself. Here, design elements, like the central stepped motifs, break up the repetitive stripes, creating a visual rhythm that challenges a static reading. The warm palette and texture of the wool offer a tactile quality that speaks to the artist’s intimate engagement with the materials. The rug operates as more than just decoration; it serves as a framework to decode its semiotic system. Its visual components are not simply aesthetic choices but cultural codes that resonate with the Navajo tradition of weaving as a narrative form.