Crystal Trading Post Pictorial Storm Pattern Navajo Pictorial Rug [SOLD]

This extraordinary Navajo rug is a pictorial masterpiece, combining a Storm Pattern with pictorial elements of an eagle and snakes.  To start at the center of the textile, we see an eagle and two snakes on a white background and enclosed in a diamond.  From this central diamond, there are four lightning bolts out to the edges of the rug.  These are elements of a storm pattern.  In the center, near each end is a snowflake-like element consisting of four stepped designs.  Between these snowflake elements and the central diamond, there is an X and an eye (brown pupil outlined in dark brown.)

Near the edges of the textile, there are four designs of birds, back-to-back, separated by an arrow.  All these designs float on the background of a mixture of various dye lots of black and brown, an excellent colorful display that verifies the wool is natural and undyed.  A white inner border outlined in a dark brown outer border completes the picture.

The entire textile consists of all-natural undyed wool from white, black, and brown sheep.  There are lazy lines throughout the weaving.  The textile dates to the 1920s.

Condition: very good condition for its age.

Provenance: this Crystal Trading Post Pictorial Storm Pattern Navajo Pictorial Rug was originally sold by Adobe Gallery in 2001 and now we have it back to sell again.

Recommended Reading: Rodee, Marian E., One Hundred Years of Navajo Rugs

Relative Links: textiles, Navajo Nation