Decorative Modern Swedish Style Area Rug, Country of Origin: Modern Indian, Circa date: Modern – If you have any tendencies toward synesthesia, then this inspired modern Swedish area rug will delight you. Without a central point, your eyes bob about while the abundance of different squares leads you into a lively vibrato of movement. It’s only a moment before you hear strains of music evoking the sophisticated jazz of master crooner Mel Torme accompanied by brushes rhythmically swirling on a snare drum.
As your eyes flick over each square panel on this highly decorative modern rug from India, pay attention to the number of squares of all sizes. They feature near-but-not-total symmetry in pattern and soft neutral rug tones of blues and grays. The tightly woven abrash knots resemble tweed in some patches. Pale horizontal lines lightly cross wider, darker vertical lines.
When you slide your palm over the plush pile, you’re reminded of the pride of Indian textiles: the firm texture of a high knot count, usually consisting of fine sheep wool but sometimes interwoven with cashmere goat wool or other threads.
When Viking traders introduced Oriental rugs to Scandinavia from the vast reaches of the Byzantine Empire, the folk patterns were influenced by trend-setting themes and colors. The Swedish / Scandinavian rug industry grew and thrived in the north.
With the influx of new cultures brought to India by the enlightened emperor Mughal Akbar and others, his enthusiasm for carpet design sparked life in the old traditions. Newly evolving styles of Indian and Persian rugs grew popular. The growing European market for inexpensive, quickly made rugs to fill the demands of royalty, wealth rug buyers, and houses of worship sadly overtook the industry.
Pride in carpet making was revived in the late 1940s with India’s independence. The resurgence included additional elements not used before. Indian weavers of magnificent area rugs welcomed other styles such as the bold, modernistic motifs of Sweden’s burgeoning industry.