Rug 1929

This rug was woven, sometime in the 20th century, by Francis Bacon. I'm really drawn to the muted palette and the angular geometry. You can see the artist grappling with the basic elements of visual language. It’s interesting to see Bacon, best known for his figurative painting, working in such a different mode. The rug has a very modern design, almost like a Mondrian, but more organic and earthy. I imagine him thinking about the interplay between color, form, and texture, maybe as a way to loosen up, or to think about space in a different way. The olive-green curved shapes are very curious, almost like eyes staring back at you from the floor. What’s so compelling about art is seeing an artist’s mind at work, in this case, outside of their usual comfort zone. It suggests how painters are constantly experimenting and searching, often finding inspiration in unexpected places.