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Kantha

Kantha

  • Place of origin:

    Bangladesh (The attribution to Khulna is on the basis of a similar piece in Leicestershire Museum and Art Galleries, illustrated in 'Woven Air' (London, Whitechapel Art gallery, 1988), p.18, cat.91. , made)

  • Date:

    early 20th century (made)

  • Artist/Maker:

    Unknown

  • Materials and Techniques:

    Cotton, embroidered with cotton thread

  • Credit Line:

    Purchased with the assistance of the Luigi and Laura Dallapiccola Foundation

  • Museum number:

    IS.16-2008

  • Gallery location:

    South Asia, Room 41, case 6A

This sitting mat is embroidered with Hindu gods and goddesses, dressed as urban Bengalis. The scenes show the goddess Devi Chandi standing on a lion fighting the demons Chanda and Munda, who were soldiers of the demon Shumbha ; Krishna playing the flute, with Radha and two attendants; Rama and Sita enthroned, with the monkey god Hanuman paying homage before them, and either Bharata or Lakshman holding a parasol and another attendant with a fly-whisk; and a goddess, probably Lakshmi the goddess of wealth, enthroned, with Kartik with his peacock and Lakshmi's vehicle the owl to her right. Two other attendants are shown beside the goddess.
The name of the maker, Srimati Basanta Kumari, is embroidered around the central roundel.

Physical description

A squarish cotton mat embroidered in multi-coloured cotton thread with designs of human figures, Hindu gods, animals and flowers.

Place of Origin

Bangladesh (The attribution to Khulna is on the basis of a similar piece in Leicestershire Museum and Art Galleries, illustrated in 'Woven Air' (London, Whitechapel Art gallery, 1988), p.18, cat.91. , made)

Date

early 20th century (made)

Artist/maker

Unknown

Materials and Techniques

Cotton, embroidered with cotton thread

Marks and inscriptions

Sreemati basanta Kumari Daseer ae bayashan
This is Basanta Kumari Dasee's... [the final word has been incorrectly spelt and is not deciphered].
Embroidered, in Bengali script

Dimensions

Length: 89.8 cm, Width: 86.5 cm

Descriptive line

Embroidered mat (ason), squarish cotton with multi-coloured human and divine figures, animals and flowers, probably made in Khulna, Bangladesh, early 20th century

Labels and date

MAT (ASHON) Cotton, embroidered and
quilted
Probably made in Khulna, Bangladesh, 1900-1930

IS 16-2008
Purchased with the help of the Luigi and Laura Dallapiccola Foundation

This sitting mat is embroidered with Hindu gods and goddesses, dressed as urban Bengalis. The scenes show the goddess Devi Chand standing on a lion fighting two demons; Krishna playing the flute, with Radha and two attendants; Rama and Sita enthroned, with the monkey god Hanuman paying homage; and Lakshmi the goddessof wealth enthroned, with her vehicle the owl to her right.
The name of the maker, Srimati Basanta Kumari, is embroidered around the central roundel.
[8 August 2013]

Production Note

Probably made in Khulna, Bangladesh

Subjects depicted

Flowers; Animals; Figures (representations)

Categories

Embroidery; Hinduism; Household objects; Textiles

Collection

South & South East Asia Collection

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