Saddle blanket c. 20th century

This saddle blanket was made anonymously, and sometime, somewhere, woven with wool. Look at how the dark reds and blues are offset by creamy white detailing; the symmetry of the design feels both comforting and a bit mysterious. There’s a real physical presence to the blanket, a kind of humble monumentality. It’s so obviously made with care. I’m drawn to the central star motif. It's got this quirky, off-kilter charm, like a hand-drawn doodle in the middle of a formal design. It makes me think about what gets repeated and what gets changed, and how that tiny shift can bring something unexpected to the surface. It reminds me of the work of Anni Albers, who also explored the boundaries between art, craft, and design. Both artists invite us to consider the stories embedded in the textures and patterns. These are not static objects, but rather artifacts of human touch, imagination, and history.