Hanging
About this object
History of use
Hanging for a door lintel, used in Hindu homes for religious and auspicious occasions.
Cultural context
festivals
Iconographic meaning
The peacock is a symbol of beauty and immortality: the cow is a symbol of prosperity and abundance. Vishnu, the four-armed god, is the preserver of the world.
Specific techniques
Beadwork: probably worked from narrow end with a needle, and single element linked to itself between beads on the preceding row(?); leaves probably worked separately by linking to the bottom row of the rectangle(?) uncut, unconstructed. Beading thread: spin and ply unidentifiable, synthetic fibre per microscope (40 x 100), slide filed. Backing: spin and ply unidentifiable, acetate-like fibre per microscope (40 x 100), slide filed. Simple plain weave 1/1, dyed, cut and unstructured. Hanging loops: spin and ply unidentifiable, acetate-like fibre per microscope (40 x 100), slide filed. Machine-made round cord, dyed cut, constructed.
Physical description
Hanging consisting of a narrow, horizontal bead-worked rectangle with nine pentagonal beadwork leaves along the bottom edge. Background of opaque white beads with patterns in translucent green, red, blue and yellow beads. Rectangle has a diamond shaped foliage design alternating with a bird. The hangings alternate with patterns of a peacock and diamonds with a cow and tree; central design is a stylized human figure. Each leaf is bordered on four sides with one row of red beads and has three tassels of four bead loops in varying colours. The rectangle is backed with red textile and has five hanging loops stitched to the top edge. Beadwork attached to backing with overcast and running stitches.
Categories
Materials
Date Made
1890-1920
Date Acquired
12 Nov 1985
How Acquired
Donated
Credit Line
The Beverly and Milton Israel Indian Textile CollectionMore...
Measurements
Overall: 20.3 cm x 84.2 cm x 1 cm
Object Number
Ef427