Here is an absolutely delightful mid-century modern Scandinavian rug. a piece woven in Sweden, with a composition attributed to the celebrated Belgian surrealist painter, Rene Magritte. A giant of the mid-century Surrealism school of art, Magritte’s body of work remains immediately recognizable today, especially his paintings of traditionally dressed men, in suits and bowler caps, whose faces are obscured by floating green apples or other random items. These figures are often presented in impossible or outlandish settings, the absurdism and surrealism of which challenge the observer’s preconceived notions of what is to be expected in a painting, and what is not to be expected. This delightful vintage carpet works on very much the same level, its masterful composition begins a series of questions that may or may not have answers. At the centre of the rug is a figure that very clearly suggests a reclined, nude woman, with wide patches of whites and plums making up her body. This is, however, the most concrete element of the work, with other colours arranged into unorthodox geometric shapes, stacked and arranged in what appears to be random. or at least not immediately apparent. order. The result is an explosive dynamism that pulls the observer ever closer in. A beautiful and intriguing mid-century rug, this Swedish rug designed by the great Magritte is a delightful composition of the highest order.
