Village Scene Textile Appraisal

Folk Art Wool Tapestry with Village Scene and Figures

This is a hand-woven wool tapestry featuring a folk art style depiction of a village scene with human figures and animals. The tapestry is primarily rectangular in shape, oriented vertically in the image, and appears to be made from natural wool fibers, possibly alpaca or sheep's wool, given the varying textures and matte finish. The color palette is earthy and subdued, incorporating tones of cream, light brown, dark brown, grey, black, muted pink, orange, and teal. The primary background is cream or off-white. The right side of the tapestry illustrates a cluster of buildings, possibly houses, rendered in a blocky, simplified style. These buildings exhibit different color combinations for their walls and roofs, some showing small rectangular window-like details. On the left side, a verdant foreground composed of teal and orange-brown jagged shapes suggests grass or foliage from which several figures emerge. These figures include dark brown and grey-colored animals resembling llamas or goats, depicted in various active poses such as standing, walking, and having open mouths as if vocalizing. Two stylized human figures with pink faces and brown bodies are also visible, one appearing to carry an object, perhaps a jug or basket, and another with an arm raised. The weaving technique appears to be flatweave or tapestry weave, characterized by the absence of pile and the creation of images through interlocking weft threads. The edges show some fraying and unevenness consistent with hand-craftsmanship and potential age. There are no discernible maker's marks or signatures visible in the provided image. The overall aesthetic suggests a traditional, possibly South American or Southwestern United States, folk art style, likely from the mid to late 20th century. The craftsmanship, while not perfectly symmetrical, shows intentionality and a charming, primitive quality indicative of handmade artistry. The condition appears fair, with some minor wear visible along the edges and general signs of use.