Anni Albers's On Weaving was first published by Wesleyan University Press in 1965. The book examines weaving through its structure, tools, and methods, bringing textile practice into a wider discussion of modern design. Albers addressed both practicing weavers and readers working in other fields.
The relationship between construction and appearance runs through the subject. A textile is formed by the meeting of threads, so its surface and its underlying structure are closely connected. The book's illustrations include plain weave, twill, a backstrap loom, and examples of historical textiles. These place practical methods alongside the visual possibilities that different arrangements of thread can offer.
Albers dedicated the book to the ancient weavers of Peru. Its examples encourage a reading of textiles as records of knowledge and invention, as well as objects to be seen and touched. The cover features her weaving Under Way, made in 1963. A later expanded color edition appeared in 2017. Within a modern art collection, On Weaving provides a useful connection between abstract pattern, material experimentation, and the making of everyday surfaces.
Modern Art, Abstract Art and Contemporary Art
