Joan Miró

Biography

Joan Miró and the Art of Tapestry: A Fusion of Abstraction, Surrealism and Textile Art

Joan Miró (1893-1983) is one of the major figures of 20th-century modern art, known for his central role in the development of abstraction and surrealism. His painting, characterized by vivid colors and organic forms, expresses a unique poetic and symbolic language. Beyond painting, Miró explored a variety of artistic media, including textile art, collaborating with influential figures such as Marie Cuttoli, a pioneer of the art tapestry revival.

It was in the 1930s that Miró met Marie Cuttoli, who invited him to create tapestries for the Atelier des Gobelins. Among the outstanding works of this period is Hirondelle Amour, an emblematic masterpiece from an important series of the period. When William Rubin, MoMA’s chief curator, suggested that Nelson Rockefeller donate this work to the museum to enrich Miró’s collection, he also suggested replacing the painting with a tapestry, given Rockefeller’s interest in the medium.

With the support of Dorothy Miller, involved in Rockefeller’s collection, the idea of reproducing Hirondelle Amour as a tapestry took shape. Miller knew that Miró had originally conceived the work as a model for a textile design. An early version of the tapestry had been woven in the 1930s and exhibited at the Sidney Janis Gallery in New York in 1958. This large-scale initiative enabled modern artists to work on a more monumental scale using textile art.

Nelson Rockefeller agreed to acquire a tapestry version of Hirondelle Amour, and Rubin orchestrated its weaving at the prestigious Manufacture des Gobelins in Paris. Miró was deeply involved in the project, personally supervising color selection, cartoon creation and the weaving process, ensuring that the final work faithfully reflected his artistic vision.

This undertaking highlights the complex relationship between painting and tapestry, where the textile model becomes both an autonomous work of art and a prototype for other creations. Although tapestries have historically had a utilitarian function, they are now seen as major works that preserve and magnify artistic intent. Today, designs such as Hirondelle Amour are regularly exhibited in museums around the world, celebrating the fusion of painting and textile art in Miró’s work.

At Galerie Hadjer, we highlight Joan Miró’s artistic legacy through tapestries that bear witness to the artist’s innovation and daring, redefining the boundaries between visual arts and textile art.