17th century
Gujarat district,
India
India
Object qualities
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Objecttextile (towels, carpets, etc.): Hanging
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Type of arts & crafts
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MediumCotton, silk; plain weave, embroidered, originally quilted
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SizeTextile: L. 76 1/2 in. (194.3 cm) W. 45 in. (114.3 cm) Mount: L. 84 5/8 in. (214.9 cm) W. 53 7/8 in. (136.8 cm) D. 2 3/4 in. (7 cm) Wt. 76 lbs. (34.5 kg)
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Geography detailsAttributed to
Gujarat district,
India -
Country today
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Date17th 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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Foreign travelers from as early as Marco Polo knew of the quality of the embroidery produced in Gujarat, a state on India’s northwestern coast, and as soon as European trade with India picked up in the early 1600s, embroidered Gujarati textiles were identified as among the most lucrative goods for export. This fragment from a hanging is one of the earliest examples of this overseas commerce, and comes from the Ashburnham House in Sussex, England. Embroideries like this were probably made at different centers throughout Gujarat, but are usually associated with Cambay, the port from which they were exported.
Reconstructions of this ornament