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Not currently on display at the V&A

Rug

1930s (made)
Artist/Maker

The flattened modernist spiral design may have been inspired by rugs and carpets made by Ivan da Silva Bruhns, the best-known Parisian Art Deco carpet designer. He based his earliest compositions on South American ethnic styles.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Hand-knotted woollen pile on woollen warp and jute or hemp weft
Brief description
hand-knotted, 1930s, probably French
Physical description
A hand-knotted rug with a cream ground. There is a small rectangular pattern in black and red in the lower left and upper right hand corners and a larger double rectangle in the centre. This is connected by a black line to a horizontal red line in the other two corners.
Technique:
Warp: white wool; 2S(Z5S); 13 threads per inch (50 per dm)
Weft: undyed jute or hemp; Z-spun, unplied, 2 parallel threads per shoot; 1 shoot after each row of knots; 7 knots per inch (28 per dm)
Pile: wool; 3 colours: red, black, cream; symmetrical knot tied around two threads; 45 knots per sq. inch (700 per sq.dm)
Side and End Finish: cannot check - tape has been sewn along all four sides, turned under and secured in place.
The construction of this rug is of a high quality and has 2 x 2 knots per square centimetre. The quality corresponds to that of an Aubusson carpet.
Dimensions
  • Top edge width: 1435mm
  • Bottom edge width: 1465mm
  • Proper right length: 1555mm
  • Proper left length: 1440mm
  • Weight of object on roller weight: 15kg
Style
Production typeLimited edition
Credit line
Given by The Savoy Group
Summary
The flattened modernist spiral design may have been inspired by rugs and carpets made by Ivan da Silva Bruhns, the best-known Parisian Art Deco carpet designer. He based his earliest compositions on South American ethnic styles.
Bibliographic reference
Samuels, Charlotte. Art Deco Textiles. London : V&A Publications, 2003. Plate 116. Image of similar rug in image promoting 'Compagnie des Arts Francais'. Design E.2265-1992 makes interesting comparison.
Collection
Accession number
T.100-1999

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Record createdJanuary 24, 2000
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