Coverlet thumbnail 1
Coverlet thumbnail 2
+15
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Not on display

This object consists of 2 parts, some of which may be located elsewhere.

Coverlet

first quarter of the 17th century (made)
Place of origin
Satgaon (made)
Hooghly (made)

Embroidered with the coat of arms of the Portuguese family Lima da Villa Norvada Cerveira. It displays a blend of European motifs and subjects.

Object details

Categories
Textiles
Embroidery
Interiors
Object type
Coverlet
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Coverlet
  • Tassles
Materials and techniques
White cotton, quilted and embroidered with red silk.
Brief description
White cotton coverlet embroidered with the coat of arms of the Portuguese family Lima da Villa Nova da Cerveira, India or Bangladesh, first quarter of the 17th century
Physical description
Embroidered with the coat of arms of the Portuguese family Lima da Villa Norvada Cerveira. It displays a blend of European motifs and subjects.
Dimensions
  • Height: 320.3cm
  • Width: 250.3cm
  • Weight: 25kg (weight of textile on roller (including pole through roller))
Gallery label
(03/10/2015-10/01/2016)
BED-COVER FOR PORTUGAL

This bed-cover was made in India for export to Portugal. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to settle in India, and embroideries like this were made near their base at Hugli in Bengal. It shows European ships and people, and in the centre is the coat-of-arms of a Portuguese noble family. The embroidery stitches draw on the local kantha tradition.

Cotton, quilted and embroidered with silk
Satgaon, West Bengal, 1600-25
V&A: 438-1882
Credit line
Purchased (source not recorded)
Object history
Purchased (source not recorded). This acquisition information reflects that found in the Museum records (Asia Department registers and/or Central Inventory) as part of a 2023 provenance research project.
Subjects depicted
Coats of Arms
Hunting
Musicians
Ships
Seascape
Boar
Deer
Bird
Fish
Bibliographic references
  • Irwin; John, Indian Embroidery (large picture book, no. 7) London: H. M. Stationery Office, Victoria & Albert Museum, 1951 pl. 11 Guy, J., and Swallow, D., (eds). ‘Arts of India: 1550-1900’. London : Victoria and Albert Museum, 1990. ISBN 1851770224.p pp 48/9, no.33.
  • Indian embroidery / Rosemary Crill ; photography by Richard Davis. London: V&A Publications, 1999 Number: 185177310X, 1851772944 (pbk.) p.38, pl. 18
Collection
South & South East Asia Collection
Accession number
438-1882

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Record createdDecember 15, 1999
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O18049/coverlet/
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