Röllakan & Rya Rugs

Röllakan and rya meet in a selection that reflects the path of Swedish textile art — from folk craft to design with a distinctly artistic voice. Technique, material, and composition take center stage, showing how woven textiles can define an entire room through geometry, rhythm, and finely balanced color harmonies.
Röllakan is a flat-woven technique in which the weft builds patterns that cover the warp, often with sharp color fields and clear contours that lend a graphic precision. Rya, by contrast, is a knotted pile weave where the density and texture of the wool create volume, softness, and a play of light across the surface. Together, the two techniques represent different expressions within the same tradition — from the röllakan’s restraint and rhythm to the rya’s tactile depth and sculptural presence.
The highlight of the auction is Ingegerd Silow. Torvalla for Axeco demonstrates her precise sense of composition with a circling wreath of motifs in cool blue tones, where the central field and border are held in perfect balance. Several other pieces by Silow emphasize the breadth of her palette — from sand and terracotta to misty blue and grey-green — always with her signature rhythmic geometry and subtle transitions of color. Erik Lundberg, on the other hand, contributes architectural clarity. His röllakan weaves combine distinct borders, triangular accents, and open central fields that lend a clear tempo to the surface. The result is rugs of modern order, capable of anchoring a room and harmonizing beautifully with wood, stone, and muted textiles.
Taken together, the theme presents a coherent picture of Swedish textile art where tradition meets modern sensibility. These rugs bear the marks of use and mastery; they tie colors and spaces together and function equally well in historical interiors and contemporary homes. This is textile art made for the slow gaze of everyday life — to be used, cared for, and passed on.