Not currently on display at the V&A

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
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(03/10/2015-10/01/2016)
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

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 Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis.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 createdJune 25, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O455641/bodice-unknown/
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest