Cover
19th century - 20th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Bed cover made up of three length seamed together vertically. On a dark red, plain weave cotton ground are repeating diamond designs embroidered in yellow and white silk. This geometric counted thread work almost entirely covers the ground. At the sides, the embroidered pattern changes to form a narrow border.
This cover was made by one of China's national minority peoples, probably one from the south or west of China.
This cover was made by one of China's national minority peoples, probably one from the south or west of China.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Hand spun and woven dark red cotton embroidered in silk and gilt thread |
| Brief description | Cover, hand spun and woven dark red cotton embroidered in silk and gilt thread, possibly Yunnan province, China, 19th-20th century |
| Physical description | Bed cover made up of three length seamed together vertically. On a dark red, plain weave cotton ground are repeating diamond designs embroidered in yellow and white silk. This geometric counted thread work almost entirely covers the ground. At the sides, the embroidered pattern changes to form a narrow border. This cover was made by one of China's national minority peoples, probably one from the south or west of China. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Gallery label | The design elements of diamonds, lines and chevrons are given definition by leaving the background fabric showing as an integral part of the pattern, a technique known in English as voiding. The pattern and thread colour show variations throughout the piece and the original ends are uneven and unfinished. The satin-faced stab stitch embroidery was completed before the lengths were joined because the pattern is not continuous across the three vertical seams. This may mean that it was not originally intended as a cover but seamed together for sale in Beijing where Sir John Addis purchased it.
It seems likely that this cover was made by the Dai people who live in southern Yunnan province and are ethnically related to groups living in Northern Laos and Thailand. |
| Credit line | Addis Bequest |
| Object history | Registered File number 1965/3344. |
| Production | This piece from the Addis Collection, although it appears to have been purchased in China, may, in fact, be a phulkari from Pakistan. See Michelle Maskiel, 'Embroidering the Past: Phulkari, Textiles and Gendered Work as "Tradition" and "Heritage" in Colonial and Contemporary punjab' in Journal of Asian Studies, vol 58, no. 2 (May, 1999), 361-388 |
| Subject depicted | |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | FE.121-1983 |
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| Record created | February 12, 2000 |
| Record URL |
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