| sprice@hsc.vcu.edu
Dear Sam, You argue eloquently for approaching rugs as aesthetic objects,
as works of art. And they certainly are that. But they are also objects
with a number of other properties that make them interesting to
collectors. To name a few: 1. Some are home furnishings with decorative
utilitarian elements. Carpets, for example. 2. Some were utilitarian
objects in another, often exotic culture, and allow the collector to
vicariously participate in that culture (or, at least, to imagine that he
does so). 3. They are seen by some collectors as investments. Different
collectors see them in different ways. Although aesthetics is a common
denominator for most of us, the emphasis put on the other aspects various
from one person to another, and to some, rug appreciation is more of an
intellectual than and emotional experience. My take on the subject is that
there is no "right way" to appreciate rugs. I see no moral issue if my
neighbor enjoys examining the structure of a rug's foundation, another
gets great pleasure from trying to determine when and where some piece was
made, and a third is overcome by the beauty of natural colors, and a
fourth collects because he thinks he is building a woven retirement fund.
Steve Price |