Mashru in silk and cotton. Chandernagore, West Bengal, ca. 1862.

'Mashru' fabric is woven with a combination of cotton and silk. It was originally created for the use by Muslim men who were forbidden from wearing pure silk. 'Mashru' is a satin weave cloth with a combination of a cotton weft and silk warp, the cotton weft being the lower layer in contact with the skin. The fabric was originally woven for Muslim men who were prohibited from wearing pure silk. 'Mashru' (meaning 'permitted' in Arabic) was woven all over India, though it survives today mainly in Gujarat. This piece comes with a label stating that it comes from Chandernagore in West Bengal.

Ikat is a type of weaving where the threads are tie-dyed before weaving to create designs on the finished fabric. The dyeing process begins with binding the resist areas with impermeable yarn or rubber bands. The precision of the wrapping determines the clarity of the design. After wrapping, the threads are dyed, but the areas under the ties retain their original colour. Numerous colours can be added after additional wrappings. When the dyeing process is complete, the warp threads are meticulously arranged on the loom to prepare the design. The natural movement during weaving gives ikat designs their characteristic feathered edge. Techniques with matching patterns on warp and weft are called double ikat.

Acquired from the International Exhibition, London, 1862.

The contemporary label states that it comes from Chandernagore, the French possession of West Bengal. Another label refers to a M. Perottet, who was director of the silk factory in the better known Fench enclave of Pondicherry.

AP.166:8-1865