Ceremonial Food Cloth

Description

This cloth was made in the southern province of Sind, Pakistan, by a member of the Sodha community, a Hindu group that maintains close cultural connections to the Indian state of Rajasthan, just across Pakistan’s eastern border. The technique of drawn work—pulling selected threads out of the woven foundation—was used to create not only a grid that guided the embroidery, but also a decorative element.

Ceremonial Food Cloth

Hinduism

1850-1900

Accession Number

158404

Medium

Cotton foundation, drawn work, silk embroidery, and mirrors

Dimensions

215.9 × 127.6 cm (85 × 50 1/4 in.)

Classification

textile

Museum

The Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago, United States

Credit Line

Loan from Miss J. Yogodi