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Shawl

ca. 1850-55 (made)
Place of origin

Man's silk shawl embroidered with floss silk; chain stitch, roman filling-stitch. Knotted silk fringes at both ends.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
silk
Brief description
ceremonial; Costume, silk, embroidered, Manipur, c1855
Physical description
Man's silk shawl embroidered with floss silk; chain stitch, roman filling-stitch. Knotted silk fringes at both ends.
Dimensions
  • Length: 326cm (inc. fringe)
  • Width: 143.5cm
  • Weighed on roller weight: 10kg
Gallery label
(03/10/2015-10/01/2016)
MAN'S SHAWL

In India’s far north-east, a chief of the Meitei community in Manipur would have worn this lanphi or shawl. The floral patterns of its embroidery closely follow woven silk designs from the same area. Embroidery is not common in Manipur: this is a rare surviving example.

Meitei shawl
Silk embroidered with silk
Manipur, about 1855
V&A: 0190 (IS)
Object history
Transferred from the India Museum in 1879. Slip book entry: 'Silk Shawl / Cachar / 55 / Crimson silk Embrodiered Ends in Colors & floss silk fringe'
Production
Made for a nobleman of the Meitei community (see illustration in M.Bahadur, 'Traditional Textiles of Manipur' (Imphal, 1997), pp.108-9).
Bibliographic reference
Indian embroidery / Rosemary Crill ; photography by Richard Davis. London: V&A Publications, 1999 Number: 185177310X, 1851772944 (pbk.) p. 22, cat. no. 140, ill. p. 138
Other number
3220 - India Museum Slip Book
Collection
Accession number
0190(IS)

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Record createdJune 25, 2009
Record URL
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