All That Glitters–Is Usually Rajasthani
Written on August 26, 2011
I recently had the good fortune to have been offered a fantastic collection of Rajasthani textiles. Over the years I have seen many, and very often I felt they looked so familiar that they didn’t provoke a strong reaction from me.
This group floored me. The age, the condition and the rich, deep colors were something of a revelation. Look at these marvelous, broodingly dark backdrops to the little shimmering drops of mirror work.
They are all roughly between 40 – 70 years old and each is in mint condition: beads are all intact, mirrors are not cracked or none of the threads are loose. But not only that, the detailed stitching is done with a kind of expertise that you have to see firsthand to really appreciate.
I love the darkness of these.
They are sitting on a stitched cotton prayer mat from Rajasthan’s Muslim Said community: the stitch which looks so familiar to Japanese eyes, the kaki no hana or persimmon flower, is called kambira.
I have acquired more than I’m showing on this post today. I’m looking forward to hanging them all in the showroom and making a display which will best showcase their intricate and glimmering beauty. They look marvelous when seen together.
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These piece are truly awesome. When I have seen others the colors look dusty but these have strong clear colors. Thank you for sharing these and all the beautiful textiles you post.
August 26, 2011 @ 11:11 pm