Mughal Wall Hanging

Mughal wall hanging, India, late 17th century. Mughal wall hanging, India, late 17th century. Copyright Victoria and Albert Museum, London, acc. no. IS 168-1950.

An embroidered Mughal wall hanging or curtain (or prayer mat?), measuring 117 x 81.25 cm, now housed in the Victoria and Albert Museum (acc. no. IS 168-1950), is a beautiful example of Mughal period art from India.

The hanging is embroidered with silk thread that is dyed with indigo and lac dye, worked on a white cotton ground material, carried out with chain stitch. It shows a flowering plant set within an arched niche and an acanthus edge. It may have been worked by the male embroiderers of the Mochi caste, who were the principal providers of high quality embroidery to the Mughal court.

See also the Needles enry on a Mughal embroidered coat.

V&A online catalogue (retrieved 30 April 2016).

WV

Last modified on Wednesday, 15 March 2017 14:22
Published in Furnishings
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