Aba
1850-1870 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Woven silk and cotton plain weave embroidered with woollen thread in small straight stitches with some herringbone.
Black fabric; two lengths seamed horizontally and joined across the shoulders. The embroidery is placed as a band along both sides of the shoulder, both sides of the arm holes, all along the hem [A], a triangular medallion form [B] on the upper back, in the upper corners of the two front panels [C] and a larger motif at the hem of both front corners [D].
[A] a continuous band 13 cm deep of long narrow botehs with red stems, one predominantly white with purple and light blue facing left, and the other facing right, predominantly red and green either side of a small cypress tree motif in light blue and red, surmounted by two inward curving fronds alternating predominantly in red and green. The rest of the ground is totally covered in small embroidered details of leaves, fan shaped blossoms and stems. The band terminates with a row of spikey plant forms pointing into the central black field.
The hem and shoulder edges are finished with a narrow 1.5 cm embroidered band with a black meander carrying red, green or light blue blossoms with white details.
[B] an inverted lobed triangle on the upper central back densely packed with multi-coloured central 112 blue petalled rosette form which emanates thick curving stems in blue and red holding multi-coloured blossoms, botehs and leaves. The lobed outline supports a series of pendants on curving brackets, terminating in a narrow isolated inverted cypress tree framed by U-shaped brackets.
[C] a diagonal downward-pointing composite boteh, 20 cm long, containing 2 elongated boteh shapes and floral elements partially framed by two long, slender curving leaves.
[D] a diagonal upward-pointing, 57 cm long, composite boteh containing 4 botehs, multi-coloured blossoms, leaves, stems and cypress trees partially framed by a meandering line of thick stems, blossoms and botehs.
The shoulder seam, armhole, hem and front panel edges are finished with tri-coloured silks forming a narrow chevron stripe [made by using two needles???]. In places this is replaced by red silk also in chevron pattern.
Colours: Z2S wool: white, deep yellow, purple, 2 shades of red, green, light blue, pink, orange [faded], turquoise.
Very high quality work.
Black fabric; two lengths seamed horizontally and joined across the shoulders. The embroidery is placed as a band along both sides of the shoulder, both sides of the arm holes, all along the hem [A], a triangular medallion form [B] on the upper back, in the upper corners of the two front panels [C] and a larger motif at the hem of both front corners [D].
[A] a continuous band 13 cm deep of long narrow botehs with red stems, one predominantly white with purple and light blue facing left, and the other facing right, predominantly red and green either side of a small cypress tree motif in light blue and red, surmounted by two inward curving fronds alternating predominantly in red and green. The rest of the ground is totally covered in small embroidered details of leaves, fan shaped blossoms and stems. The band terminates with a row of spikey plant forms pointing into the central black field.
The hem and shoulder edges are finished with a narrow 1.5 cm embroidered band with a black meander carrying red, green or light blue blossoms with white details.
[B] an inverted lobed triangle on the upper central back densely packed with multi-coloured central 112 blue petalled rosette form which emanates thick curving stems in blue and red holding multi-coloured blossoms, botehs and leaves. The lobed outline supports a series of pendants on curving brackets, terminating in a narrow isolated inverted cypress tree framed by U-shaped brackets.
[C] a diagonal downward-pointing composite boteh, 20 cm long, containing 2 elongated boteh shapes and floral elements partially framed by two long, slender curving leaves.
[D] a diagonal upward-pointing, 57 cm long, composite boteh containing 4 botehs, multi-coloured blossoms, leaves, stems and cypress trees partially framed by a meandering line of thick stems, blossoms and botehs.
The shoulder seam, armhole, hem and front panel edges are finished with tri-coloured silks forming a narrow chevron stripe [made by using two needles???]. In places this is replaced by red silk also in chevron pattern.
Colours: Z2S wool: white, deep yellow, purple, 2 shades of red, green, light blue, pink, orange [faded], turquoise.
Very high quality work.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | silk thread, cotton yarn, woollen yarn, weaving, embroidering, sewing |
| Brief description | embroidered, 1850-1870, Persian |
| Physical description | Woven silk and cotton plain weave embroidered with woollen thread in small straight stitches with some herringbone. Black fabric; two lengths seamed horizontally and joined across the shoulders. The embroidery is placed as a band along both sides of the shoulder, both sides of the arm holes, all along the hem [A], a triangular medallion form [B] on the upper back, in the upper corners of the two front panels [C] and a larger motif at the hem of both front corners [D]. [A] a continuous band 13 cm deep of long narrow botehs with red stems, one predominantly white with purple and light blue facing left, and the other facing right, predominantly red and green either side of a small cypress tree motif in light blue and red, surmounted by two inward curving fronds alternating predominantly in red and green. The rest of the ground is totally covered in small embroidered details of leaves, fan shaped blossoms and stems. The band terminates with a row of spikey plant forms pointing into the central black field. The hem and shoulder edges are finished with a narrow 1.5 cm embroidered band with a black meander carrying red, green or light blue blossoms with white details. [B] an inverted lobed triangle on the upper central back densely packed with multi-coloured central 112 blue petalled rosette form which emanates thick curving stems in blue and red holding multi-coloured blossoms, botehs and leaves. The lobed outline supports a series of pendants on curving brackets, terminating in a narrow isolated inverted cypress tree framed by U-shaped brackets. [C] a diagonal downward-pointing composite boteh, 20 cm long, containing 2 elongated boteh shapes and floral elements partially framed by two long, slender curving leaves. [D] a diagonal upward-pointing, 57 cm long, composite boteh containing 4 botehs, multi-coloured blossoms, leaves, stems and cypress trees partially framed by a meandering line of thick stems, blossoms and botehs. The shoulder seam, armhole, hem and front panel edges are finished with tri-coloured silks forming a narrow chevron stripe [made by using two needles???]. In places this is replaced by red silk also in chevron pattern. Colours: Z2S wool: white, deep yellow, purple, 2 shades of red, green, light blue, pink, orange [faded], turquoise. Very high quality work. |
| Dimensions |
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| Gallery label | Abbas are traditionally made from two horizontal lengths of fabric, seamed around the middle and across the shoulders: in these two examples some fabric has been cut away to create armholes. They are versatile and elegant garments, 'they can be worn while standing, sitting or driving and can be used as a cover for the whole body while sleeping ... when walking [it] may either be allowed to drape from the shoulders or the sides may be gathered up slightly and held under one arm so that the ends do not get caught ... when receiving a guest, the right-hand side ... may be taken off the shoulder and brought round under the arm to be held together with the left-hand edge under the left arm. This leaves the right hand free for shaking hands.' Quoted from 'Men's Dress in the Arabian Peninsula' by Bruce Ingham in 'Dress in the Middle East', Richmond, Surrey, 1997 pp.47-48'.
The two abbas displayed here were woven in different parts of Iran and yet both measure 139.7cm in length - perhaps they were always made to a standard size?(2002) |
| Object history | This object was bought in Tehran in 1874 by Robert Murdoch Smith, on behalf of the Museum. In one transaction totalling £33.4/, Murdoch Smith bought a range of art objects, including ceramics, metalwork and textiles, from Henry Michael Collins, a British telegraph engineer stationed in Iran between 1872 and 1878. |
| Bibliographic reference | Illustrated in 'Iranian Textiles' by Jennifer Wearden and Patricia L Baker, V&A Publishing 2010 fig.12 page 30 (whole) and 31 (detail). |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 1299-1874 |
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| Record created | January 8, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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