late 18th century
India
Object qualities
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Objecttextile (towels, carpets, etc.): Hanging or bed cover
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Type of arts & crafts
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MediumCotton; pounced and painted
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SizeH. 121 1/2 in., (308.6 cm) W. 91 in. (231.1 cm)
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Geography detailsAttributed to
India -
Country today
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Datelate 18th century
Source of information
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Type of sourceDatabase “Metropolitan Museum of Art”
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Fund that the source refers toMetropolitan Museum of Art
Description
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This palampore, used as a bed cover or wall hanging, was made with a traditional dyeing technique called kalamkari, which evolved in Southern India. In this multi-step process, each color is applied with a stylus or by using wax resists before submerging the entire cloth in a dye bath. Textiles of this design, with a central flowering tree surrounded by scrolling vines and flowers, were often made for the European market.