Rumal thumbnail 1
Rumal thumbnail 2
+7
images
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
South Asia Gallery, Room 41

Rumal

1625-1650 (made)
Place of origin

Rectangular coverlet (rumal) of painted and resist-dyed cotton. With a floral border and cartouches with figures showing the courtly pursuits of drinking wine, listening to musicians, romantic dalliance and hunting.

The field has a central medallion composed of formalised floral stems. The remainder of the field is filled with figural groups interspersed with flora and fauna. In the bottom right hand corner is a group of elephants with riders are charging across a rocky landscape. In the top centre is a princely figure sitting on a coverlet holding a wine glass, and on his right are musicians and a singer and on his left is an attendant with a wine flask. Other groupings include pairs of lovers, a horseman, a hunter and a dervish-like figure wearing a yoga patia.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Mordant and resist-dyed cotton (kalamkari/chintz)
Brief description
Rumal (coverlet), cotton mordant- and resist-dyed (kalamkari/chintz), Coromandel Coast, possibly for the Golconda court, c. 1625-50; Textiles
Physical description
Rectangular coverlet (rumal) of painted and resist-dyed cotton. With a floral border and cartouches with figures showing the courtly pursuits of drinking wine, listening to musicians, romantic dalliance and hunting.

The field has a central medallion composed of formalised floral stems. The remainder of the field is filled with figural groups interspersed with flora and fauna. In the bottom right hand corner is a group of elephants with riders are charging across a rocky landscape. In the top centre is a princely figure sitting on a coverlet holding a wine glass, and on his right are musicians and a singer and on his left is an attendant with a wine flask. Other groupings include pairs of lovers, a horseman, a hunter and a dervish-like figure wearing a yoga patia.
Dimensions
  • Length: 89.5cm
  • Width: 62cm
Gallery label
  • RUMAL (COVERLET) Cotton, mordant- and resist-dyed Coromandel Coast, possibly for the Golconda court c. 1625-50 Kalamkari (literally ‘pen-work’) is a complex hand-drawing and dyeing technique. Known in Britain as chintz, colours and motifs were modified to suit different markets. This kalamkari coverlet was produced along the Coromandel Coast in the territory of Golconda, one of the Islamic kingdoms of the Deccan. The dress of the figures on this courtly textile reflects the Iranian heritage of the kingdom’s rulers.(01/08/2017)
  • Rumal (Coverlet) Cotton, stencilled, painted and dyed Golconda, Deccan Second quarter of the 17th century The decoration on this coverlet is strongly Iranian in style, reflecting the outside influences found in many aspects of Deccani culture. IS 34-1969(26/11/1990-30/09/1994)
Bibliographic references
  • Swallow, Deborah and John Guy eds. Arts of India: 1550-1900. text by Rosemary Crill, John Guy, Veronica Murphy, Susan Stronge and Deborah Swallow. London : V&A Publications, 1990. 240 p., ill. ISBN 1851770224, p.117, pl.96.
  • The Indian Heritage. Court life and Arts under Mughal Rule London: The Victoria and Albert Museum, 1982 Number: ISBN 0 906969 26 3 p. 93, cat. no. 242, Veronica Murphy
  • Sultans of Deccan India, 1500-1700 : opulence and fantasy / Navina Najat Haidar and Marika Sardar ; with contributions by John Robert Alderman [and 14 others]. Number: 9781588395665 (Metropolitan Museum of Art), 1588395669 (Metropolitan Museum of Art), 9780300211108 (Yale University Press), 0300211104 (Yale University Press) pp.271-273
  • Swallow, D., Stronge, S., Crill, R., Koezuka, T., editor and translator, "The Art of the Indian Courts. Miniature Painting and Decorative Arts", Victoria & Albert Museum and NHK Kinki Media Plan, 1993. p. 103, cat. no. 87
Collection
Accession number
IS.34-1969

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdDecember 23, 1999
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest