Sample
late 19th century - early 20th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
White cotton embroidery on white cotton fabric, known as 'chikan' embroidery, is particularly associated with Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, India. although it probably originated in Calcutta and Dhaka. Instead of coloured yarns, it uses a variety of textured stitches to provide interest, often combined with pulled-thread or 'jali' work to make open-work patterns. Lucknow chikan work also sometimes adds muga silk, in its natural pale brown colour, to add variety to the design, as in this example.
This sample of embroidery is in the form of two exquisitiely worked borders or cuffs, which would be cut and stitched on to a garment. Chikan work is still very popular for lightweight shirts (kurtas) and was also widely used in the 19th century as western dress material.
This sample of embroidery is in the form of two exquisitiely worked borders or cuffs, which would be cut and stitched on to a garment. Chikan work is still very popular for lightweight shirts (kurtas) and was also widely used in the 19th century as western dress material.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Cotton muslin, woven, embroidered with cotton and muga silk thread and tussar silk |
| Brief description | Chikan embroidered textile (two border pieces), muslin, embroidered, Lucknow, late 19th or early 20th century. |
| Physical description | Textile sample of Chikan embroidery of fine white muslin with two panels of embroidery intended to form cuffs or borders for a garment. Embroidered muslin with cotton and white muga silk thread. Some outlining in tussar silk. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Historical context | Intended for use in making garments, parts of clothing. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | White cotton embroidery on white cotton fabric, known as 'chikan' embroidery, is particularly associated with Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, India. although it probably originated in Calcutta and Dhaka. Instead of coloured yarns, it uses a variety of textured stitches to provide interest, often combined with pulled-thread or 'jali' work to make open-work patterns. Lucknow chikan work also sometimes adds muga silk, in its natural pale brown colour, to add variety to the design, as in this example. This sample of embroidery is in the form of two exquisitiely worked borders or cuffs, which would be cut and stitched on to a garment. Chikan work is still very popular for lightweight shirts (kurtas) and was also widely used in the 19th century as western dress material. |
| Bibliographic reference | Indian embroidery / Rosemary Crill ; photography by Richard Davis. London: V&A Publications, 1999 Number: 185177310X, 1851772944 (pbk.)
p.59, cat. no. 48 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | IS.58-1968 |
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| Record created | August 9, 2006 |
| Record URL |
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