Judith Johansson Rugs

Learn More About Rugs and Carpets by Judith Johansson

View our entire collection of art rugs and carpets by famous artists

Judith Johansson Swedish Rugs (1916-1993) was a highly productive designer and weaver who produced a massive collection of ecclesiastical and secular flat-weave area rugs and tapestries from the late 1940’s through the mid-1960’s. Johansson was born in a small rural village in southern Sweden where she maintained an atelier that was taken over by her daughter in the mid-1980’s. This particular region is famous for its textiles and crafting heritage, which is still going strong today. Johansson was part of this local revival and increase in the production of decorative flat-weave röllakan and soft furnishings.

Johansson used a unique design process where she created watercolor sketches that were converted into contemporary weaving patterns. Hundreds of these original watercolors are still preserved in her workshop. Johansson drew inspiration from the idyllic Swedish countryside where she lived and worked, but she also created a number of inventive geometric patterns and abstract floral carpets. Some of her more experimental compositions, such as the Tjärmark carpet, use a borderless composition and vibrant gem-tone colors that were embraced in the mid-century. Johansson’s accomplishments earned her several distinguished awards in the 1980s. The initials “JJ” appear as a hallmark on works that were designed and woven by Judith Johansson.