Embroidered Yardage (Primary Title)
Unknown (Artist)
Indian artists have, for centuries, produced a wide variety of textiles for export to foreign clients. Rich embroidered yardages like this were created for the European market, where they were used to make bed and wall hangings, quilts, and garments. Created in Gujarat—the world’s most important center for commercial embroidery between the 16th and 18th centuries—it features a lush pattern of fanciful flowers and leaves chain-stitched in silk threads of at least nineteen different colors. The extensive variety of plant motifs and wide range of colors make the design appear endlessly original and spontaneous. A closer look, however, reveals that, beyond minor color variations, this floral paradise is actually a repeating pattern.
Friends of Indian Art and Arthur and Margaret Glasgow Fund
Image released via Creative Commons CC-BY-NC
Some object records are not complete and do not reflect VMFA's full and current knowledge. VMFA makes routine updates as records are reviewed and enhanced.