Skip to Main Content

Loin Cloth "Pha nung" or Cloth for Wrapped Garment

late 1800s-early 1900s
tabby weave, mordant resist and batik; cotton
Overall: 97.8 x 325.1 cm (38 1/2 x 128 in.)
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1925.119
Location: not on view
Public Domain
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.

Download, Print and Share

Description

Indian craftsmen developed great skill in resist dyeing using both mordants (chemicals that fix dyes) and wax, or some other resist. When mordants were selectively 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 that 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.
Loin Cloth "Pha nung" or Cloth for Wrapped Garment

Loin Cloth "Pha nung" or Cloth for Wrapped Garment

late 1800s-early 1900s

India, East Coast, late 19th - early 20th century

See Also

Visually Similar by AI

    Contact us

    The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@clevelandart.org.

    To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk.

    All images and data available through Open Access can be downloaded for free. For images not available through Open Access, a detail image, or any image with a color bar, request a digital file from Image Services.