Well Woven Way
7 Rugs that Remind Us of Masterpieces in the Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art inspires countless other creative endeavors. Here, we match seven of our rugs to masterpieces from the museum.
Few museums in the United States are quite as famous as the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Chances are that you’re familiar with at least a few of its works of art: dripping clocks by Salvador Dali, swirling sunflowers by Vincent Van Gogh, or Monet’s watercolor lily ponds. The art that resides in the Met’s great halls have inspired books, movies, and countless other artists and craftsmans. Indeed, to visit Met is to fall in love with New York City and the world-class culture it hosts. It’s to be reminded of your dreams and why they matter to you.
Image credit: NYC Arts
Well Woven is no exception to this rule. We’ve always been inspired by New York City and its people. While all our designs pull inspiration from all around the world, we always come back to our roots as a family company that wanted to create something special that others could enjoy.
In that spirit, we’ve envisioned what famous pieces from the Metropolitan Museum of Art would look like if they were turned into one of our rugs. Our textiles and designs may not be Rembrandts, but by pairing them with classic masterpieces, we’re hoping to make them memorable. We hope you enjoy!
A Yves Saint Laurent Dress and Shag Carpet
Image credit: The Met Museum
Birds of a feather flock together, which is why we paired this silk and bird of paradise feather dress with one of our shag rugs. We’ll admit that a Well Woven Rug is not of the same design caliber as a Yves Saint Laurent dress featured in the Met. You’ll also probably also never mix up which one to wear and which one to put on the floor. But we get a kick out of imagining what the two would look like in the same room. Those feathers look soft--if only they would let us touch it!
An Iconic Middle Eastern Saddle Bag and the Rug it Inspired
Image credit: The Met Museum
This saddlebag was woven in Northwestern Iran during the 19th century by the Shahsevan, a tribe of Turkic nomads. Their name translates to “those who love the king.” Fittingly enough, when it comes to rugs, the Shahsevan continue to be king 2000 years later. Well Woven takes its cue from that same ancient tradition, with designs inspired by it and Turkey-based production. This Pompey Copper Rug takes its medallion pattern from that exact same heritage, albeit with a 21st century twist.
A Dreamy Companion to Monet’s “Morning on the Seine Near Giverny”
Image credit: The Met Museum
Monet painted this scene while floating on a boat that he’d converted to a painting studio. The mental image of that idyllic scene is art worthy in and of itself. Behold the actual painting, and it feels like stepping into a dream. That’s the effect we went for when designing this rug. Its deep blues, pebbled with flashes of playful color, transport us to a serene and magical space.
Odilon Redon’s “Pandora” Reimagined
Image credit: The Met Museum
This painting by Odilon Redon depicts Pandora from Greek mythology, the moments before she opened a fateful box that contained all the woes that trouble humanity. Hope was the last to flutter out, creating a debate over whether it offered balm for all the hardship, or whether to harbor hope is a hardship in and of itself.
Whatever side of the issue you take, we hope you appreciate the beautiful colors found here. Our Adele Medallion Boho Rug pulls inspiration from the vitality and brightness of Odin’s painting. We just hope (that word again!) that any reenactments of that fateful scene transpire without actually spilling anything on the carpet...although our yarns make cleaning a cinch if any accidents happen.
Piet Mondrian’s Patterns in Rug Format
Piet Mondrian’s geometric paintings rose to popularity through the magazine De Stijl, which means “the style” in Dutch. Fittingly, the publication helped popularize an avant-garde movement aimed to create “a common point of visual reference” in a postwar world. We’re no experts on what equates success in the art world, but we warrant that by at least some counts, Mondrian succeeded: the aesthetic was popularized to such a degree that you can see it everywhere, including this rug of ours.
Vincent Van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” and a Rug to Match
Image credit: The Van Gogh Gallery
The swirling patterns that characterize Vincent Van Gogh’s painting style are as visually magnetic as his use of vivid colors, which capture the intensity of the painter’s emotion while translating it to a universal understanding. Saturated yellows and blues come together in this rug as well. A pairing meant for the ages, the combination causes us to dwell on summer days, bold acts of artistry, and many things in between.
Pierre Bonnard’s “The Terrace at Verronet” Turned into a Textile
Pierre Bonnard was a French painter who, as a student in Paris, learned to use strong patterns and colors for symbolic representations. Later, he followed a more Impressionist slant that lead to paintings such as this one: a social gathering on a terrace along the Seine River. This rug just happens to contain similar shades of violet, green, orange, and blue, with a dappled effect that mimics the delicate brush work of Bonnard. What a lovely combination.
To see more rugs, you can go to wellwoven.com at any time and shop our collections. We're also always interested in hearing what you have to say. Drop us a line anytime at service@wellwoven.com.