Cover
19th century
Description
This quilted cover is an example of qalamkari (“pen-work”), a traditional technique of decorating cotton with dyes. The design features a central medallion on a red field patterned with butahs in off-set repeat. The central medallion and quarter medallions in the corners combine birds, blossoms, leaves, and knot patterns. Two wide borders contain running floral scrolls; and multiple guard stripes hold small floral motifs. The design employs the traditional four colors (black, red, blue, and yellow) and has been created by block printing and wax resist.
Dimensions
89 x 124 cm (35 1/16 x 48 13/16 in.)
Provenance
Mark and Ruth Irwin, Wooster, Ohio (by 1965 - 1998), by descent; to Beth Irwin Lewis, Oberlin, Ohio (1998 - 2015), gift; to the Harvard Art Museums, 2015.
Related Artworks
View MoreWool
19th centuryTurkishPolychrome silk-floss embroidery in satin stitch on a dark blue silk damask ground and gold thread border
19th centuryKoreanWool
18th-19th centuryCentral AsianBlue silk gauze ground with needlepoint decoration
19th centuryChineseSilk
19th centuryUzbekWarps: undyed white wool. Wefts: variable, including outlining wefts, eccentric wefts. Weft colors: light red, dark red, red-brown, purple (made of red and blue), light blue (abrashed), green, dark olive green, dark blue. Whites are wool and cotton combined. The rest are wool.
19th centuryTurkishSilk
18th-19th centuryChineseBook of swatches mounted on paper (56 sheets)
19th-20th centuryJapaneseTwill tapestry-woven pashmina (goat hair)
18th-19th centuryIndianUndyed ramie; plain-weave
19th-20th centuryJapaneseSilk
19th centuryUzbek