Afghan Throw c. 1938

Here's a design for an Afghan Throw, made by Erwin Stenzel. The patterns are so dense, so alive. The palette, a bit muted, makes me think of faded tapestries or old botanical illustrations. There's a real sense of layering and texture – look at the lower left square, at how the weave creates a kind of relief. You can almost feel the different threads and the weight of the fabric. These six squares, they're a garden, but also a puzzle. Each section has its own logic, but they fit together in a strange way, like pieces of a dream. And you can see that he wasn't trying to hide the work, but instead making a feature of it. It’s reminiscent of William Morris. Both artists create surface patterns that encourage viewers to consider the world around them and explore the natural forms in their environment. As with all art, it invites us to slow down, to see, and to feel.