
Kantha: The Embroidered Quilts of Bengal from the Jill and Sheldon Bonovitz and the Stella Kramrisch Collections
December 12, 2009 - July 25, 2010

Kantha: The Embroidered Quilts of Bengal from the Jill and Sheldon Bonovitz and the Stella Kramrisch Collections
December 12, 2009 - July 25, 2010
View more objects in the exhibition >>
The first exhibition devoted solely to this unique textile tradition ever presented outside of South Asia, Kantha: The Embroidered Quilts of Bengal from the Jill and Sheldon Bonovitz and the Stella Kramrisch Collections focuses on two premier collections, one assembled during the 1920s and 1930s by the legendary historian of Indian art, Dr. Stella Kramrisch (the Museum’s Curator of Indian Art from 1954 until her death in 1993), the other recently assembled by Jill and Sheldon Bonovitz, leading proponents of American self-taught art. The accompanying catalogue, published by the Museum and Yale University Press, presents the two collections in their entireties for the first time. The majority of the Bonovitz kanthas on view are gifts and promised gifts to the Museum, while the Kramrisch kanthas are part of the Museum’s permanent collection.
Behind the Scenes

Join Darielle Mason, The Stella Kramrisch Curator of Indian and Himalayan Art, for an in-depth look at this exhibition. Learn about the intricate domestic art of the kantha, and see how the distinguished, yet different kantha collections of Jill and Sheldon Bonovitz and Stella Kramrisch bring this unique art form to life for audiences.
Watch Video >>