Hanging
- Place of origin:
- Date:
- Artist/Maker:
- Materials and Techniques:
Embroidered with baize, velvet, cotton, gimp braid and silver sequins, painted in tempera, mounted on wood
- Museum number:
- Gallery location:
- Image in copyright
The Victoria and Albert Museum was advised that it should not miss the opportunity of acquiring this 'wonderful kalaga' displayed in the Burma Pavilion of the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley in 1924. Kalagas, pictorial textile hangings, with religious or secular themes were used either as decorative wall hangings, to partition a room or, by the Burmese, on festive occasions to form a screen outside.
This hanging, made of red baize with appliqué designs of shaped coloured fabrics (partly painted), white gimp braid and silver sequins, illustrates episodes from the popular Ummadanti Jataka (one of the stories recounting the Buddha's former lives). The costumes of the figures are depicted in the stylised tradition of Burmese theatre relate to the fashions worn in the Mandalay Court of about 1880.
Britain's control of Burma extended as the 19th century progressed, and the country was annexed in 1885. The extravagant style of kalagas appealed to Burmese and Europeans alike and their popularity soared in the middle of the 19th century.
Physical description
Hanging of embroidered red baize. Embroidered with applied ornament in black baize, green, yellow and red velvet, white and yellow cotton fabrics, white gimp braid and silver sequins. Parts of the design is painted in tempera colours. Mounted on a wooden stretching frame within a bamboo frame.
The scenes depicted are from the 'Ummadanti Jataka' (in Burmese Ohnmadani). Outside, a male figure watches the beautiful Ohnmadani throw flowers at King Sivi (Thiwi) as he sits on his elephant, shaded by umbrellas. The king is instantly smitten by the enchanting vision before him and falls madly in love. Behind the umbrella bearer are a young man on a hobby horse and an official with a fan. Interior of the pavilion lit with a series of oil burning lanterns. The figures are dressed in the court costumes of the Konbaung Dynasty.
Place of Origin
Burma (made)
Date
ca. 1900 (made)
Artist/maker
unknown (production)
Materials and Techniques
Embroidered with baize, velvet, cotton, gimp braid and silver sequins, painted in tempera, mounted on wood
Dimensions
Length: 340.4 cm, Width: 151.4 cm, Length: 58 in, Width: 130 in
Object history note
Description information supplied by Noel F. Singer, June 2002.
Glass lanterns indicate a European influence - possibly imported from Gt. Britain.
Descriptive line
Hanging (Kalaga) of embroidered and painted baize, Burma, ca. 1900
Exhibition History
The Burma Pavillion of the British Empire Exhibition, Wembley (01/01/1924-31/12/1924)
Production Note
Received from the Commissioners for Burma, The Burma Pavillion, per J M Syms, Exhibition Commissioner, on the suggestion of Rodway Swinhoe.
Attribution note: Probably made in the same late 19th century workshop and the designs created by the same artist as: IS 2-1963; IS 44-1967; IS 3-1963; IM 47-1925; IS 76-1957; IS 1-1963; (Inf. supplied by Noel F. Singer June 2002)
Materials
Cotton; Paint; Velvet; Braid; Baize; Silver sequins
Techniques
Painting; Weaving; Stitching; Appliqué
Subjects depicted
Buddhism
Categories
Textiles; Wall coverings; Embroidery
Collection code
SSEA
