Agda Österberg
Agda Österberg produced thousands of ecclesiastical textiles during her active period, including the chancel carpet Livsvandringen – the Walk of Life, which is located in Varnhem Abbey Church. She also rests at Varnhem's cemetery and she lived to be 95 years old (1891-1985).
Back to the history of Varnhem
Agda Österberg produced thousands of ecclesiastical textiles during her long, active life and was a pioneer in many ways. She studied at what is now known as Konstfack and travelled around to important art centres across Europe. In 1925, she participated in the world exhibition in Paris with an antependium. In 1932, she delivered a hand-knotted rya rug to the Waldorf Astoria in New York. Agda Österberg is known for her rugs and tapestries with powerful patterns and strong colours.
Together with her husband, she built and ran the studio Tre Bäckar in Varnhem for a long time. For Varnhem's abbey church, she has woven the chancel carpet, which has the walk of life as its theme.
Agda Österberg is buried in Varnhem cemetery.
Photographer: Stig Rehn
The Walk of Life choir carpet.
The carpet shows a staircase of aging, painted in the liturgical colours. It begins in the west, where the seeds sprout in the soil and the children grow amongst the greenery. In the red, the young encounter the fire of love, and in the violet, life's disappointments. In front of the altar, the married couple receives God's blessing before they go out into life, build their home, and once again encounter tears. The small family is enveloped by Maria's sky blue mantle. The years pass, the grandchildren come. Their hair turns grey and the journey of life is completed with the urns in the ground. The red border around the carpet symbolises God's love that surrounds us throughout our life's journey, all the way to the grave, but also beyond.