Kingswood School Cranbrook Rug No. 3
Woven by Studio Loja Saarinen and designed by Loja Saarinen herself, this wall hanging was possibly commissioned for Eliel Saarinen's Dining Room installation at "The Architect and the Industrial Arts—An Exhibition of Contemporary American Design" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. It may also have been designed and woven prior to the exhibition, however, in color and design it relates to the wallpaper and fireplace tilework of the Metropolitan Museum installation. .
Upon the closure of the Architect and the Industrial Arts exhibition in late 1929, the textile returned to Cranbrook. In 1931, it was bought by Kingswood School Cranbrook through the Cranbrook Foundation for permanent installation in the Kingswood School Cranbrook second floor Headmistress' office. The design mirrors the Saarinen family's larger aesthetic in color and form. It has a signed “Loja ”Saarinen" label on the reverse. Unlike many Studio Loja Saarinen products, the hanging maintains all of its fringe.
Kevin Adkisson
Curator
Cranbrook Center for Collections and Research
April 2024
Width: 49 in (124.5 cm)
Depth: 1 1/2 in (3.8 cm)
ProvenanceLoja Saarinen (1928–1931)
Kingswood School Cranbrook (1931–1973)
Cranbrook Educational Community (1973–present)
Credit LineCranbrook Center for Collections and Research
Cultural Properties Collection, Cranbrook Kingswood Upper School - Kingswood Campus
Medium | MaterialsLinen, wool
GenreObject TypeRugs (textiles); Tapestries; Wall hangings
Alternate Title(s)
- Tapestry designed and executed by Loja Saarinen, Cranbrook Studios, Birmingham, Michigan
"The Architect and the Industrial Arts—An Exhibition of Contemporary American Design." Metropolitan Museum of Art, February 11,1929 - September 2, 1929.
Cranbrook Affiliation
- Saarinen Family
- Cranbrook Foundation Staff
