Not currently on display at the V&A

Shirt

mid 20th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Woman's shirt of woven cotton, embroidered with floss silk. The garment has a round neck with front slit with loop fastening (corresponding button missing). Inset long sleeves, and body flaring out towards the bottom in a bell shape, achieved by inserted side panels widening towards the hem. Sides slit at bottom. Dark indigo cotton, the upper front plain, the lower front patterned with a repeating stylised motif (possibly a cypress), some in aniline pink, some in burnt orange, all with details in green and buff. The sleeves are patterned with a different repeating stylised plant motif, some in red, some yellow, some buff. The upper sleeves and a large rectangular panel on the back are patterned with geometrical embroidery in burnt orange and aniline pink, with details in light green and buff. Borders of similar style and colour run round the hem and the bottom of the sleeves, and triangular sections round the side vents have similar embroidery.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Cotton, embroidered with floss silk; surface darning-stitch
Brief description
Woman's shirt of cotton embroidered with floss silk, Swat Valley, Pakistan, mid-20th century.
Physical description
Woman's shirt of woven cotton, embroidered with floss silk. The garment has a round neck with front slit with loop fastening (corresponding button missing). Inset long sleeves, and body flaring out towards the bottom in a bell shape, achieved by inserted side panels widening towards the hem. Sides slit at bottom. Dark indigo cotton, the upper front plain, the lower front patterned with a repeating stylised motif (possibly a cypress), some in aniline pink, some in burnt orange, all with details in green and buff. The sleeves are patterned with a different repeating stylised plant motif, some in red, some yellow, some buff. The upper sleeves and a large rectangular panel on the back are patterned with geometrical embroidery in burnt orange and aniline pink, with details in light green and buff. Borders of similar style and colour run round the hem and the bottom of the sleeves, and triangular sections round the side vents have similar embroidery.
Dimensions
  • From shoulder to bottom hem length: 84cm
  • Across sleeves form cuff to cuff width: 148cm
Object history
Purchased. Registered File number 1979/546.
Subject depicted
Bibliographic reference
Indian embroidery / Rosemary Crill ; photography by Richard Davis. London: V&A Publications, 1999 Number: 185177310X, 1851772944 (pbk.) p. 22, cat. no. 129, ill. p. 129
Collection
Accession number
IS.40-1979

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Record createdJanuary 16, 2003
Record URL
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