Tablecloth

This tablecloth, woven from cotton, presents a fascinating geometric pattern that plays with positive and negative space. Its design features a series of interlocking squares and diamonds, creating a dynamic visual rhythm across the fabric. The double-cloth technique used here means the textile is essentially two layers woven together, allowing for the intricate, reversible design where the colors invert on the opposite side. One side might show light motifs on a dark ground, while the reverse reveals dark motifs on a light ground. This clever construction not only adds to the textile's durability but also its visual complexity, inviting a closer look at how the patterns emerge and recede. Although attributed to Otto Mäkilä, a Finnish artist known primarily for his Expressionist prints and paintings, the attribution of this early textile piece from 1908 is unusual given his established artistic output starting around the 1910s and 1920s.