Skirt Cloth
19th century (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
This fine-quality cotton skirt-cloth (Malay/Indonesian: 'kain sembagi') was made in southern India, probably Tamilnadu. It was intended for export to the Malay-world of western Indonesia. The trade in painted cotton textiles to this region was prospering in the period 1800-1900, and Indian workshops produced cloths expressly to meet the needs of local markets.
This trellis-pattern floral design has block-printing in the borders and would have found a ready market amongst the Muslim communities of coastal Sumatra.
This trellis-pattern floral design has block-printing in the borders and would have found a ready market amongst the Muslim communities of coastal Sumatra.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Block-printed, mordant-dyed and resist-dyed cotton |
Brief description | Skirt cloth (kain sembagi) of mordant-dyed, resist-dyed and block-printed cotton, Coromandel Coast, 19th century |
Physical description | Skirt cloth (kain sembagi) of mordant-dyed and resist-dyed cotton, and block-printed in the borders. Red and dark red with white colours. |
Dimensions |
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Production | Textiles for south Sumatran market. |
Summary | This fine-quality cotton skirt-cloth (Malay/Indonesian: 'kain sembagi') was made in southern India, probably Tamilnadu. It was intended for export to the Malay-world of western Indonesia. The trade in painted cotton textiles to this region was prospering in the period 1800-1900, and Indian workshops produced cloths expressly to meet the needs of local markets. This trellis-pattern floral design has block-printing in the borders and would have found a ready market amongst the Muslim communities of coastal Sumatra. |
Bibliographic reference | John Guy, Woven Cargoes. Indian textiles in the East, Thames and Hudson, 1998, pl. 65. |
Collection | |
Accession number | IS.90-1990 |
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Record created | March 17, 2000 |
Record URL |
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