Domestic Zoo

Here is a picture of my Domestic Zoo.  The original rug which was designed and hooked by Magdalena Briner around 1890 measured 24" by 70".  Mine measures 22 1/2" x 65 1/2" and trust me when I say it was heavy enough to work on with those measurements.  I don't know how people can hook room size rugs comfortably.  

Magdalena hooked images she was exposed to and which were in the world which surrounded her.  I still find looking at the rug very interesting but sure wish that Magdalena was here so I could ask her exactly what some of those shapes were.  I can only guess.  I can see several leaves, two snakes, cats, dogs, chickens, birds, donkey, horse.  Some appear to be cherries, pear, an apple cut in half, and there are hearts near some of the animals which makes me think they were her prized or favorite or perhaps pets she was memorializing.  It looks like one of the snakes may have been after the bird.  But again, I can only guess and imagine what was going on in Magdalena's mind as she drew the rug out.

And, for all of my Magdalena rugs I have made a label so that years from now if mine is found tucked away somewhere it will be known it is not an antique and people will know it is not the same dimensions as the original.  I feel it is important to give Magdalena credit and that the true size of her original works be known. 

I hope you have enjoyed reading about Magdalena