Textiles  of the North American Southwest
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Navajo Pictorial Weaving and Curio Loom
ca. 1874
New Mexico

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This American flag textile is one of the first recorded examples of Navajo pictorials, weavings that depict objects or scenes from life. Pictorials became a major style in Navajo weaving in the 20th century.

Early pictorials often incorporated images of non-Navajo culture, such as the American flag and the train shown above.

  Navajo Pictorial Weaving and Curio Loom
ca. 1909
Arizona or New Mexico
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Navajo Pictorial Weaving
before 1923
New Mexico
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By the 1920s, Navajo weavers began to represent Navajo culture in their pictorials. The two pictorials below portray "Yeibechai" dances, in which Navajos represent holy beings. Although many Navajos opposed the depiction of such sacred subjects in non-religious settings, they became a popular theme in weavings and other art forms.


Navajo Pictorial Weaving
no date
Arizona or New Mexico
Catalog Information

 
 
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