Woven Covering for Chair Back 1935 - 1942

Ingrid Selmer-Larsen wove this chair back covering from wool. While the date of this work is unknown, Selmer-Larsen's life spanned much of the twentieth century, a period during which the role of textiles shifted dramatically. For much of history, textiles were a central element of the domestic sphere and their production was a vital skill, most often associated with women's work. However, industrialization slowly displaced hand-crafted textiles and changed their social meaning. By the twentieth century, weaving and other textile arts had become largely divorced from the domestic sphere and repositioned as a form of artistic expression. The Bauhaus movement in Germany was especially important in this transformation. By exploring the cultural and institutional history of textile production, we can understand how Selmer-Larsen's work operates within a shifting field of meanings. We must examine historical archives, craft traditions, and the rise of design schools to understand the place of textiles in modern life.