This wall hanging, called a kalamkari after the technique for producing it, is made of woven cotton patterned by a pen with mordants and resist mediums. The famous process could take months to complete because it required numerous laborious procedures before the final design was accomplished. The scenes in this example may represent unrelated episodes played out in different areas of a princely edifice and its garden. An elegant couple with a small naked child dominate the spectacle. A still life of vases and bottles separates them from three ladies dressed in beautifully patterned saris who seem to be hurrying to a rendezvous. Figures sit or stand on balconies, archways, and pavilions, mostly dressed in Indo-Persian or Indian garments. Two Europeans, perhaps representing traders living in the area, add an exotic touch. Below, a courtly reception unfolds in a landscape with musicians, servants, guests, and even cats and other animals in attendance upon the nobles. Above, a row of standard-bearers, princely figures, and an ox cart march in procession toward an unseen goal.

Open full-size and alternate view(s)