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Bed Spread

18th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Bed spread (palampore) of cotton with a pattern in wax-resist dye-colours and gold, and painted. The pattern is in blue, red, purple, and outlined in black on a white ground. The outline was later over-lined in wax covered with gold. The central motive consists of a 'Tree of Paradise' covered with flowers, birds and animals in the branches. It grows on a five-topped mound of rockery upon which stand two large peacocks holding cobras in their beaks, whilst other birds and animals roam on the slopes. The border is formed by repetitions of floral festoons tied up with ribbons and vases of flowers. The blue portions are dipped in indigo and wax-resist dyed. The red and manganese are applied by brush.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Wax-resist dyed cotton and gold, and painted
Brief description
Bed spread (palampore) of wax-resist dyed and painted cotton, Machilipatnam, 18th century
Physical description
Bed spread (palampore) of cotton with a pattern in wax-resist dye-colours and gold, and painted. The pattern is in blue, red, purple, and outlined in black on a white ground. The outline was later over-lined in wax covered with gold. The central motive consists of a 'Tree of Paradise' covered with flowers, birds and animals in the branches. It grows on a five-topped mound of rockery upon which stand two large peacocks holding cobras in their beaks, whilst other birds and animals roam on the slopes. The border is formed by repetitions of floral festoons tied up with ribbons and vases of flowers. The blue portions are dipped in indigo and wax-resist dyed. The red and manganese are applied by brush.
Dimensions
  • Top edge width: 1850mm
  • Bottom edge width: 1853mm
  • Proper right length: 2844mm
  • Proper left length: 2884mm
  • Weight: 18.5kg (Note: Includes roller and pole)
Credit line
Given by HM Queen Mary
Bibliographic reference
Irwin, John and Katherine Brett, Origins of Chintz, London, 1970. With a catalogue of Indo-European cotton-paintings in the Victoria & Albert Museum, London, and the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto. ISBN 112900534. p. 88, cat. no. 54, pl. 52
Collection
Accession number
IM.48-1926

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Record createdJune 25, 2009
Record URL
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