COLLECTION NAME:
The AMICA Library
Record
AMICA ID:
CMA_.1925.119
AMICA Library Year:
1999
Object Type:
Textiles
Creator Nationality:
Asian; Indian Sub-Continent; Indian
Creator Dates/Places:
India, East Coast, late 19th - early 20th century
Creator Name-CRT:
India, East Coast, late 19th - early 20th century
Title:
Lion Cloth "Pha nung" or Cloth for Wrapped Garment
Title Type:
Primary
View:
Full View
Creation Date:
late 1800s - early 1900s
Creation Start Date:
1880
Creation End Date:
1920
Materials and Techniques:
tabby weave, mordant resist and batik; cotton
Dimensions:
Overall: 97.8cm x 325.1cm
AMICA Contributor:
The Cleveland Museum of Art
Owner Location:
Cleveland, Ohio, USA
ID Number:
1925.119
Credit Line:
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
Provenance:
(A. K. Coomaraswamy, #2).
Context:
Indian craftsmen developed great skill in resist dyeing using both mordants (chemicals that fix dyes) and wax (or some other resist). When mordants were selectivley drawn, painted, or printed onto cotton, only those portions of the fabric would accept the dye. In this textile, this technique has been combined with wax resist batik which prevented dyes from penetrating treated portions of the fabric.Indian textiles made for export were patterned with designs and colors that suited the tastes of the markets for which they were produced. This cloth was made for export to Thailand where lattice designs were preferred. While this particular textile would have been used as a wrapped garment, Indian textiles in Thailand served also as room dividers, coverings for floors, and hangings.
Related Image Identifier Link:
CMA_.1925.119.tif