La Japonaise

Dimensions: 24" x 40"
Materials: #3-, 4-, and 5-cut wool on rug warp
Adapted from a Claude Monet 1876 painting and hooked by Karen Whidden, Southern Pines, North Carolina, 2010.
Featured in: Celebration XXII

"I enjoyed hooking impressionist pieces so much that it was time for another Monet! La Japonaise caught my interest with its rich colors and intricate design. Madam Monet's dress, with an image of a samurai, was hooked upside down. This was a technique that I read about in Celebration X. In the article, Eric Sandberg discussed how he employed this technique while hooking Le Chateau. Hooking individual sections with this method successfully captures lights, darks, and highlights, and the image magically appear when held right side up. I have used this technique while hooking several other detailed rugs. In addition, each background fan carried a different image filled with beautiful colors making them fun to hook. La Japonaise was sold, but the vivid image of the piece remains."
- Karen Whidden, Celebration Hall of Fame 2018