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A.5141.42-161 - Blanket |
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Catalog Number: A.5141.42-161
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| Object Name/Descriptor |
Blanket |
| Provenience |
North America, USA, Southwest |
| Culture/People/Style |
Navajo (Dine) |
| Period |
c. 1880 - 1890 |
| Date Accessioned |
March, 1942 |
| Material Type(s) |
Cloth - Wool
Cloth - Cotton
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| Length (cm) |
215.000 |
| Width (cm) |
158.000 |
| Other Information |
Associated Text from the Native American Hall (1992-2006):
Eyedazzler Style
Navajo weavers, previously limited to the softer tones of natural dyes, eagerly accepted the bright colors yielded by chemical dyes. Invented in England in 1856, the new dyes took only a decade to reach the Navajo through traders. The name eyedazzler aptly reflects the explosive color and design combinations found in textiles of this period.
Rugs for Sale
"Rugs made to order in any size or color."
- J.B.Moore, 1911
The Navajo returned from Bosque Redondo to a surrounded land designated a reservation. Their homes and herds were destroyed during the four-year absence. Licensed by the government to provide services and supplies, trading post owners exercised enormous influence over Navajo life.
In the 1880s, the railroad opened up the Navajo world to outsiders. New textiles began to emerge from the Navajo loom in response to market demands. At the urging of reservation traders, Navajo weavers gradually modified their thin, tightly woven blankets into rugs suitable for Victorian parlor floors.
Traders fueled Navajo demand for consumer goods, while Navajo women steadily increased their production of rugs to generate income. |
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