Group of Framed Antique Paper Weavings

These super graphic antique weaving exercises were part of a visual learning curriculum devised by Friedrich Froebel, an 18th century German educator who’s credited with the invention of kindergarten.

Froebel’s curriculum asked its students and participants to use logic and critical thinking to solve visual problems that were – themselves – often part of a larger series. Complexity would increase across a series and result in incredible compositions like those seen here. It should be no surprise that Josef Albers and Piet Mondrian both cited these exercises as childhood influences.

This series was taken from an album dating to around the turn of the 20th century.

Each piece is approximately 7-inches square. New frames measure 13×13 inches.