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Knuckle-pad cover

Shield Accessory
ca. 1700 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Jaipur (made)

This superbly embroidered scene of a prince and a lady in a palace garden is all the more remarkable as it was not intended to be seen by anyone except its owner. It would have been used inside a shield to protect the user's knuckles. Most examples are plain, and often of leather, but some other decorative ones are known. Most of the embroidered ones seem to come from Jaipur in Rajasthan.

Object details

Categories
Images Online
Textiles
Embroidery
Arms & Armour
Object type
Shield accessory
TitleKnuckle-pad cover
Materials and techniques
Cotton embroidered with silk, chain stitch
Cotton
Embroidered
Brief description
Shield accessory (knuckle pad), Jaipur (Rajasthan), ca. 1700
Physical description
A cover for the knuckle pad of a shield embroidered with a prince and lady in a palace garden. This embroidered design in fine chain-stitch is closely related to miniature painting probably made by Rajput ladies for their husbands. It is made to protect a warrior's hand inside the shield.
Dimensions
  • Height: 15.5cm
  • Taken from indian heritage catalogue width: 15.5cm
Credit line
Given by Mr Imre Schwaiger
Object history
Given by Mr. Imre Schwaiger.
Subjects depicted
Fort
Figure
Garden
Summary
This superbly embroidered scene of a prince and a lady in a palace garden is all the more remarkable as it was not intended to be seen by anyone except its owner. It would have been used inside a shield to protect the user's knuckles. Most examples are plain, and often of leather, but some other decorative ones are known. Most of the embroidered ones seem to come from Jaipur in Rajasthan.
Bibliographic references
  • Guy, John and Swallow, Deborah (eds.) Arts of India: 1550-1900. Text by Rosemary Crill, John Guy, Veronica Murphy, Susan Stronge and Deborah Swallow. London : Victoria and Albert Museum, 1990, reprinted 1999. 240 p. : ill. ISBN: 1851770224. p.130, pl.112
  • Skelton, Robert, et al, The Indian Heritage. Court life and Arts under Mughal Rule London: The Victoria and Albert Museum, 1982 p. 94, cat. no. 249
  • Indian embroidery / Rosemary Crill ; photography by Richard Davis. London: V&A Publications, 1999 Number: 185177310X, 1851772944 (pbk.) p.46, pl. 30
  • The art of India and Pakistan, a commemorative catalogue of the exhibition held at the Royal Academy of Arts, London, 1947-8. Edited by Sir Leigh Ashton. London: Faber and Faber, [1950] p. 222, cat. no. 1077
  • Irwin; John, Indian Embroidery (large picture book, no. 7) London: H. M. Stationery Office, Victoria & Albert Museum, 1951 pl. 7
  • Miller, Lesley Ellis, and Ana Cabrera Lafuente, with Claire Allen-Johnstone, eds. Silk: Fibre, Fabric and Fashion. London: Thames & Hudson Ltd in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum, 2021. ISBN 978-0-500-48065-6. This object features in the publication Silk: Fibre, Fabric and Fashion (2021)
Collection
South & South East Asia Collection
Accession number
IM.107-1924

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Record createdJuly 18, 2000
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O41714/knuckle-pad-cover-shield-accessory-unknown/
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