Diné (Navajo) Wool Pictorial Rug of “The Long Walk” [SOLD]

Most of the Navajo pictorial rugs woven in the 20^th century can be categorized as presenting traditional designs, such as sandpaintings, Trees of Life, and every-day scenes such as trucks, Yeis, birds, and flags.  The Rosenaks, collectors of Navajo folk art and authors of books on that subject, set about to find artists who were weaving more unusual pictorials.  They were looking for original art.  Florence Riggs, a young weaver in the Tuba City area of the Navajo reservation, was the weaver of choice. 

Florence Riggs learned her craft from two generations of fine Navajo weavers.  Her grandmother, Laura Nez, is still working in Tuba City, weaving traditional patterns.  Louise Nez, her mother, lives in Farmington, New Mexico.  Florence and her family live in Tuba City, Arizona.

Riggs will weave traditional Navajo patterns if a trader requests her to do so but her preference is to weave pictorial scenes not done by others.  This rug presents a subject that is certainly a unique one that has probably never been woven before.  It depicts The Long Walk, that horrendous trek the Diné were forced to make from Canyon de Chelly, Arizona, to Bosque Redondo in southern New Mexico in 1864.  During the 450-mile walk that took 18 days in the winter of January 1864, over 200 Diné died.  Over 9000 Navajo were incarcerated there until 1868 when the program ended because of crop failures, sicknesses, and raids by Apache.  The Government could no longer justify the exorbitant cost of keeping the Navajo incarcerated.

This textile is one of the most complicated pictorials that one could possibly weave.  There are so many figures and elements involved it is a wonder the weaver could execute it.  It is truly a masterpiece of history and art.  The weaver’s initials FR appear in the lower right corner black border.

Condition: very good condition

Provenance: from the personal collection of Chuck and Jan Rosenak, collectors and authors of Navajo folk art.

Recommended Reading:  The People Speak: Navajo Folk Art by Chuck and Jan Rosenak