Dress
early 20th century (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Woman's dress (aba) of silk satin embroidered with silk threads and mirrors. Embroidered on the breast, shoulders, neck, and round the bottom. The design on the breast consists of rectangles on the space below the neck and on the shoulders, and are filled with rows of floral and geometrical devices. The remaining space is occupied by an all-over pattern of linked circles, each enclosing a round floral form and four oval leaf forms. At the edge are alternate white and brown flowers. Below is a pendant of five lobes made up of floral and geometrical devices. The flounce round the bottom has the same design as that on the breast.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Embroidered silk satin with silk threads, and glass |
Brief description | Woman's dress (aba) of silk satin embroidered with silk threads, Kutch, Gujarat, early 20th century. |
Physical description | Woman's dress (aba) of silk satin embroidered with silk threads and mirrors. Embroidered on the breast, shoulders, neck, and round the bottom. The design on the breast consists of rectangles on the space below the neck and on the shoulders, and are filled with rows of floral and geometrical devices. The remaining space is occupied by an all-over pattern of linked circles, each enclosing a round floral form and four oval leaf forms. At the edge are alternate white and brown flowers. Below is a pendant of five lobes made up of floral and geometrical devices. The flounce round the bottom has the same design as that on the breast. |
Dimensions |
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Credit line | Given by Lady Ratan Tata, York House, Twickenham |
Object history | Navajbai Sett (1877- 1965), the younger daughter of Ardeshir Merwanji Sett, or Lady Ratan Tata gave the collection of her husband Sir Ratan Tata (1871- 1918) in 1920 to the V&A. The collection was distributed across the Indian Section and the then departments of architecture, ceramics, metalwork, paintings, textiles, and woodwork. Sir Ratan Tata was a great art collector, and although he collected often to decorate the several residences he had in England, India and France, he also pursued his collecting interests specifically on these trips. He was interested in Chinese and Japanese works which he acquired in the countries as well as in European paintings, ceramics, and Indian textiles and crafts. Among the items acquired in 1920 were many that were housed at Sir and Lady Tata’s residence, York House in Twickenham. When Sir Ratan Tata died, the Executors of his estate offered his collection to the Prince of Wales Museum (now the CSMVS), Bombay (now Mumbai) in 1920. It was in the same year that she gave parts of the collection to the V&A. Given by Lady Ratan Tata, York House, Twickenham. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Museum records (Asia Department registers and/or Central Inventory) as part of a 2023 provenance research project. R.P. 1920-6471 |
Subjects depicted | |
Bibliographic reference | Indian embroidery / Rosemary Crill ; photography by Richard Davis. London: V&A Publications, 1999 Number: 185177310X, 1851772944 (pbk.)
p.90, cat. no. 79 |
Collection | |
Accession number | IM.232-1920 |
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Record created | January 16, 2003 |
Record URL |
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