Xantippa 140×240

Additional information

The Xantippa travel rug, designed by Marjatta Metsovaara in 1958, is one of her most sophisticated and intellectually playful "architectural" designs. Like the Eskimo and Nona-Nona, it was a staple of her early Finnish production and gained significant acclaim when featured in high-end US catalogs in 1960.

The Colors of Xantippa
In the original 1958/1960 palette, Xantippa was known for its deep, high-contrast, and almost moody "forest" tones:
• Primary Tones: Deep bottle green, olive, and charcoal.
• Accent Colors: Often featured "pockets" of vibrant yellow or gold woven into the grid to create a flickering effect of light through leaves.
• The Interaction: Because Metsovaara used a specific carding technique for her mohair, these dark greens and grays didn't look flat; they had a "silvered" or metallic sheen that changed as the long fibers caught the light.

What She Wanted to Express: The Name and Design
The name Xantippa (or Xanthippe) is a reference to the wife of the philosopher Socrates. In Finnish culture and European literature, Xantippa is traditionally depicted as a sharp-witted, spirited, and somewhat "difficult" or "shrewish" woman.
• A Sharp Personality: By naming this design Xantippa, Metsovaara was expressing a sharp, disciplined, and slightly rebellious character. Unlike the "soft" names like Nona, Xantippa was for an interior that had "teeth"—it was bold, intellectual, and uncompromisingly modern.
• Architectural Rigidity vs. Material Softness: The design itself is an architectural masterpiece because of its tight, rhythmic grid. Metsovaara wanted to express the tension between a very strict, "disciplined" geometric pattern (the philosopher’s logic) and the wild, untamed softness of the mohair fibers (the spirited personality).
• The "Living" Interior: She believed textiles should have a "soul." Xantippa wasn't just a blanket; it was an assertive design element intended to challenge the "boring" beige aesthetics of the late 1950s.

Fulfilling Modern Luxury
A new production of the Xantippa design with substantially more mohair and a larger surface area is necessary in contemporary design:
1. Featherweight Depth: By using a higher percentage of Kid Mohair and a lighter, airier weave, the deep greens and charcoals of Xantippa would become translucent. This creates a "thris" (throw) that looks like heavy, dark iron but feels as light as a veil.
2. Scale as Architecture: In a modern, large-scale room, the original small "travel rug" size can get lost. Upscaling it to a 140x240 cm throw allows the complex grid to act as a "tapestry for the furniture," providing the same architectural presence as a wall or a floor rug, but with the portability of a blanket.
3. Modern Comfort: Contemporary luxury is about "extreme softness." Increasing the mohair content eliminates the "itch" of 1950s wool blends, creating a tactile masterpiece that satisfies the modern demand for high-end sensory wellness.

This beautiful throw blanket, finished with Metsovaara’s signature knotted fringes, offers you sensory immersion, silk-like luster, weightless warmth, and an elegant drape that enhances both modern and generously proportioned living spaces. At newly built state-of-the-art combing and spinning facilities, these natural fibers are transformed into unique variations of yarns. Woven in the original Xantippa pattern from 1958, the fabric is brushed to create a classic, fluffy form. All this means that a throw blanket from Metsovaara not only adorns any room but also provides high comfort and a genuine sense of craftsmanship and heritage.

With today’s improved production methods, the material is more reliable and resistant to washing.

BODY SIZE:
140 cm x 210 cm

FULL SIZE:
with Metsovaara fringes 140 cm x 240 cm

SLOW MACHINE WOVEN FABRIC

MAIN MATERIAL: 72% Mohair / 28% Pure New Wool
WEIGHT: 280 g/m²
MATERIAL WEIGHT: approx. 941 g

Fluff up the travel rug after use. Brush it lightly against the pile from time to time. Dry cleaning is recommended. Hand wash or machine wash with natural detergent, with no spinning at washing and drying and no hanging at drying.