Choli
c.1830-40 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Acquired by the India Museum as the dress of the 'Queen of Oudh', this extravagant Lucknavi ensemble is more likely to have been designed for a young girl's betrothal ceremony or possibly a for wear by a court dancer. It was received by the India Museum via the Paris Exhibition of 1855, and it is possible the ensemble was made especially for the display. However, the style of the ensemble corresponds with Lucknavi fashions of the 1830s-1840s, which suggests the outfit may be of an earlier date.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Woven silk, and cotton net, embroidered with gold and silver threads and metal details |
| Brief description | Woman's bodice (choli), red silk muslin embellished with applied gold and silver ornament, Lucknow, Avadh, c.1830-40 |
| Physical description | Woman's bodice, purple silk and red silk patterned cotton net, heavily embellished with ribbons of gold and silver thread, partly pleated and embossed, and gold tinsel and spangles. |
| Dimensions |
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| Gallery label | WOMAN'S COURT COSTUME: Silk with gold and silver braid and pompoms. Lucknow, C.1830-40. This extravagant costume would have been worn by a dancer or noblewoman at the flamboyant Lucknow Court, although the fashion for exaggeratedly wide trousers like these worn under a full, shorter overdress was popular in several centres of North India during the first half of the 19th century. Women wearing such costumes are shown in the large Lucknow painitngs on the back wall of this case and in the smaller Company style paintings from North India in the unit to the right.(Nehru Gallery, 2001) |
| Object history | Transferred from the India Museum in 1879. India Museum Slip book entry 8216: 'Costume as worn by the Queen of Oudh / Lucknow / 55 / Robe Bodice & Cholee / Trowsers & Shawl / Shoes having Bells on attached / Gold Turban flat Top.' |
| Historical context | Intended for use as a garment, clothing. |
| Summary | Acquired by the India Museum as the dress of the 'Queen of Oudh', this extravagant Lucknavi ensemble is more likely to have been designed for a young girl's betrothal ceremony or possibly a for wear by a court dancer. It was received by the India Museum via the Paris Exhibition of 1855, and it is possible the ensemble was made especially for the display. However, the style of the ensemble corresponds with Lucknavi fashions of the 1830s-1840s, which suggests the outfit may be of an earlier date. |
| Associated objects | |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Other number | 8216 - India Museum Slip Book |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 5833(IS) |
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| Record created | June 25, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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