Hanging
ca. 1700 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Fine chain stitch embroidery of this type was made by professional male embroiderers of the Mochi community in Gujarat in western India. It was worked with both a hook, called an ari, and a needle. Originally developed for embroidering on leather, for items such as belts, floor-coverings and shoes, the ari-work was adapted for use on cloth, and soon attracted the attention of western travellers to Gujarat. The East India Company exported these embroideries from the port of Cambay (modern Khambat), and they were known as 'Cambay embroideries'.
This piece is an early example of the type, and was used at Ashburnham House in Sussex, along with chintz hangings of very similar design. The deep blue is produced by indigo dyeing, and the pink of the flowers by the use of lac, a dye secreted by the insect Kerria lacca kerr.
This piece is an early example of the type, and was used at Ashburnham House in Sussex, along with chintz hangings of very similar design. The deep blue is produced by indigo dyeing, and the pink of the flowers by the use of lac, a dye secreted by the insect Kerria lacca kerr.
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Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Embroidered cotton with silk yarn |
Brief description | Wall hanging of embroidered cotton with silks, Gujarat, ca. 1700. |
Physical description | Wall hanging of embroidered cotton with silk yarn in chain stitch. Cream cotton ground with silk chain stitch embroidery pattern of blue leaves, red-and-yellow flowers and multi-coloured birds and animals. Made of two panels stitched together vertically. Possibly also for a bed, but traces of nail holes at the sides suggest it was used as a wall-hanging at some stage. |
Dimensions |
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Gallery label |
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Object history | Part of a set of hangings from Ashburnham House, Sussex. |
Production | Embroidery made in Gujurat for the English Market |
Subjects depicted | |
Summary | Fine chain stitch embroidery of this type was made by professional male embroiderers of the Mochi community in Gujarat in western India. It was worked with both a hook, called an ari, and a needle. Originally developed for embroidering on leather, for items such as belts, floor-coverings and shoes, the ari-work was adapted for use on cloth, and soon attracted the attention of western travellers to Gujarat. The East India Company exported these embroideries from the port of Cambay (modern Khambat), and they were known as 'Cambay embroideries'. This piece is an early example of the type, and was used at Ashburnham House in Sussex, along with chintz hangings of very similar design. The deep blue is produced by indigo dyeing, and the pink of the flowers by the use of lac, a dye secreted by the insect Kerria lacca kerr. |
Bibliographic references |
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Collection | |
Accession number | IS.155-1953 |
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Record created | July 16, 2001 |
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