"Germantown Eye-Dazzler" Rug
Diné (Navajo)
c. 1800/90
Medium
Cotton and wool dovetailed tapestry weave
Dimensions
220.2 × 155.3 cm (86 3/4 × 61 1/8 in.)
Classification
textile
Department
Textiles
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
155968
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Brillant color and bold overall patterns with serrated diamonds, chevrons, and interlocking lines are hallmarks of the "Eye Dazzler" style of Navajo (Diné) textiles produced from the late-19th to the early-20th century. Earlier Navajo blankets featured broad horizontal bands of indigo blue, white, dark brown, black, and red, subsequently enhanced with the addition of small diamonds, bars, and squares. The lively approach of Eye Dazzler weaving developed out of a period of major cultural and arti...