Palampore
1855 (made)
| Place of origin |
This palampore shows a tree, almost symmetrical, stemming from a formal arrangement of foliage scrolls, with flowers resembling peonies and chrysanthemums. The border is filled with a formal garland against a red vermicelli ground. Around the outer edge is a narrow greenish band.
There are several stamp marks on the reverse side: 1. a United East India Company stamp with org, pennon and cross; 2. a circle containing the numerals 7-20; 3. a circle containing the first numeral, and several impressions resembling the numeral 8, which could also be read as a crude form of Tamil ka.
There are several stamp marks on the reverse side: 1. a United East India Company stamp with org, pennon and cross; 2. a circle containing the numerals 7-20; 3. a circle containing the first numeral, and several impressions resembling the numeral 8, which could also be read as a crude form of Tamil ka.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | painted and dyed cotton
The yarn of the cloth is machine-spun, and the fabric woven on a power-loom. |
| Brief description | Palampore, Rajahmundry, 1855 |
| Physical description | This palampore shows a tree, almost symmetrical, stemming from a formal arrangement of foliage scrolls, with flowers resembling peonies and chrysanthemums. The border is filled with a formal garland against a red vermicelli ground. Around the outer edge is a narrow greenish band. There are several stamp marks on the reverse side: 1. a United East India Company stamp with org, pennon and cross; 2. a circle containing the numerals 7-20; 3. a circle containing the first numeral, and several impressions resembling the numeral 8, which could also be read as a crude form of Tamil ka. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Object history | Commissioned for the Paris Universal Exhibition, 1855. Acquired from the India Office. |
| 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. 55, pl. 53
55
Plate 53
Palampore: painted and dyed cotton. Rajahmundry, Andhra State. Commissioned for the Paris Universal Exhibition, 1855.
Victoria and Albert Museum, acc. no. IS5423 (neg. no. 37067). Acquired from the India Office.
12 ft 4 1/2in (377.3cm) x 8 ft 2 1/2in (250.4cm).
Colours: 2 reds, violet, blue, yellow and black. Outlines black and red. Overpainting in green.
A tree, almost symmetrical, stemming from a formal arrangement of foliage scrolls, with flowers resembling peonies and chrysanthemums. The border is filled with a formal garland against a red vermicelli ground. Around the outer edge is a narrow greenish band. The yarn of the cloth is machine-spun, and the fabric woven on a power-loom. There are several stamp marks on the reverse side: (1) a United East India Company stamp with orb, pennon and cross; (2) a circle containing the numerals '7.20'; (3) a circle containing the first numeral, and several impressions resembling the numeral '8', which could also be read as a crude form of Tamil ka (see p.12).
In the catalogue of the 1855 Paris Exhibition there are references to two sets of Indian chintzes - one consisting of 'chintzes and palampores' from North Arcot, Madras, and the other of 'coverlets printed in colours and in gold, from Masulipatam'. According to museum records, this palampore and the next one (cat. no. 56) were acquired at Rajahmundry, which is about 80 miles north-east of Masulipatam.
Exhibited: Paris Universal Exhibition, 1855.
Bibliography: Paris Universal Exhibition, 1855: Catalogue of the works exhibited in the British Section, London, 1855, p.156. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 5423(IS) |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | June 25, 2009 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
