Not on display

Bodice

19th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Kutch (made)

Bodice of brown cotton embroidered with coloured silks and decorated with small mirrors. Tie fastenings at the back.

Object details

Categories
Textiles
Womenswear
Embroidery
Object type
Bodice
Materials and techniques
Cotton worked with silks, mirrors.
Brief description
Bodice of brown cotton embroidered with silk thread and decorated with mirrors, Kutch, Gujarat, 19th century
Physical description
Bodice of brown cotton embroidered with coloured silks and decorated with small mirrors. Tie fastenings at the back.
Dimensions
  • Length: 17in
  • Across sleeves width: 30.5in
Gallery label
(03/10/2015-10/01/2016)
EMBELLISHMENT

Both natural and man-made products are used to decorate textiles in India. Mirror-work (associated with western India and Pakistan) is perhaps the best known. Embroiderers also sew the wing-cases of ‘jewel beetles’ (Bupestridae) on to fabric to dazzling effect. European glass beads are used to embellish garments and household objects, while minerals such as mica can be ground up and printed with adhesive onto fabric.

Mica-printed jacket
Cotton, mirror-work and adhesive-printed mica powder
Satara, Maharashtra, about 1855
V&A: 6558 (IS)

Mirror-work choli (bodice)
Cotton embroidered with silk and mirror-work
Kutch, Gujarat, about 1900
Given by Mrs A.R. Ditmas.
V&A: IS.55-1957

Hat
Cotton with glass beads
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, about 1855
V&A: 0345 (IS)

Border for a dress
Cotton muslin with beetle wing-cases and gilded silver
Possibly Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh/Telangana, about 1850
Given by Mrs Mary Gordon.
V&A: IS.486-1992
Credit line
Given by Mrs A. R. Ditmas
Bibliographic references
  • Indian embroidery / Rosemary Crill ; photography by Richard Davis. London: V&A Publications, 1999 Number: 185177310X, 1851772944 (pbk.) p. 20, cat. no 105, ill. p. 106
  • Crill, Rosemary, Arts of Asia, vol. 45, no. 5, September - October 2015, "The Fabric of India" Exhibition, p.71, pl. 10.
Collection
South & South East Asia Collection
Accession number
IS.55-1957

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Record createdJune 25, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O455641/bodice-unknown/
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