Costume and Textiles Kantha (Embroidered Quilt) Made in West Bengal, India, Asiaor Faridpur District, Bangladesh, Asia Second half of 19th century Artist/maker unknown, Bengali or India Cotton plain weave with cotton embroidery in back, buttonhole, darning, outline, running, seed, stem stitch shading, surface satin, eye, and fern stitches Currently not on view 1994-148-704 Stella Kramrisch Collection, 1994 |
LabelTwo multitiered rathas (processional chariots) with elaborate trussed construction, each pulled by a single horse, dominate the lower portion of this finely stitched square kantha. A tiny Shiva linga (a pillarlike icon) visible in each of the upper chambers indicates that these rathas are taking part in a religious procession. Also in the lower panel is a man dressed in what is likely a nineteenth-century military uniform, including boots, a short jacket, and a cap. The top left square encloses a single man with a conical hat, while the far right square frames a fashionable Calcutta couple. Though stitched for an intimate, familial context, kanthas give expression to the rich complexity of urban life in Bengal. |
