Phulkari thumbnail 1
Phulkari thumbnail 2
Not currently on display at the V&A

Phulkari

ca. 1855 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Phulkari ('flower work') was produced in northern India, particularly in the Punjab, where Caspar Purdon Clarke acquired his examples. Designs are embroidered onto evenly woven cotton cloth (khadi, khaddar) usually dyed terracotta red or indigo blue. Narrow strips of cloth are often joined together to make the whole piece. Untwisted soft floss silk (heer, pat) is used, mostly yellow and white, which reflects the light, lending a lustrous appearance to the finished piece. There are different types of phulkari work. Some leave parts of the cloth empty as part of the design. Hindu pieces usually include images of figures and animals; Muslim and Sikh work have geometric designs. In the type known as bagh ('garden', 'ground'), almost the whole surface of the cloth is covered with patterns done in surface darning stitch. Double running stitch was used for other designs, and a variety of additional stitch types added. Phulkari was made for everyday clothes and especially for ceremonial wear at weddings and festivals. Each type has a special name, such as Bagh, Chope, Sainchi, Darshan Dar, Vari da Bagh. Shishadar or sheesh bagh incorporates mirror work.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Cotton, embroidered with silk
Brief description
Woman's headcover, cotton embroidered with floss silk, Delhi, ca. 1855
Physical description
Phulkari textile, head cover, coarse cotton dyed terracotta red, embroidered with floss silks in gold and yellow with pink, green and white. Made of strips of cloth joined. The field is embroidered with a lattice design containing a geometric motif, the ends have a flower and leaf design. Complete piece.
Dimensions
  • Length: 248cm
  • Width: 127cm
Marks and inscriptions
Lefthand side: 'INDIA-BENGAL/No. 2461/Division. 1 Group. 7 Class. 25/Name of article. Head Covering ornamented/with Silk/Where produced. Delhi/Use.' Righthand side: 'INDE-BENGALE/No. 2461/Division. 1 Groupe. 7 Class. 25/Nom de l'article/Couverture de Tete/ornée en Soie/Ou produit. Delhi [label adhered on top: 'loan museum']/Usage.' (Original printed and handwritten Paris Exhibition of 1855 paper label, attached to object. )
Object history
Transferred from the India Museum in 1879.
Historical context
Intended for use as a domestic textile, a cover.
Subjects depicted
Summary
Phulkari ('flower work') was produced in northern India, particularly in the Punjab, where Caspar Purdon Clarke acquired his examples. Designs are embroidered onto evenly woven cotton cloth (khadi, khaddar) usually dyed terracotta red or indigo blue. Narrow strips of cloth are often joined together to make the whole piece. Untwisted soft floss silk (heer, pat) is used, mostly yellow and white, which reflects the light, lending a lustrous appearance to the finished piece. There are different types of phulkari work. Some leave parts of the cloth empty as part of the design. Hindu pieces usually include images of figures and animals; Muslim and Sikh work have geometric designs. In the type known as bagh ('garden', 'ground'), almost the whole surface of the cloth is covered with patterns done in surface darning stitch. Double running stitch was used for other designs, and a variety of additional stitch types added. Phulkari was made for everyday clothes and especially for ceremonial wear at weddings and festivals. Each type has a special name, such as Bagh, Chope, Sainchi, Darshan Dar, Vari da Bagh. Shishadar or sheesh bagh incorporates mirror work.
Collection
Accession number
05617(IS)

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Record createdJune 25, 2009
Record URL
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