The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of April 19, 2024

Bed cover with floral medallion pattern

Bed cover with floral medallion pattern

late 1600s–early 1700s
Cotton: plain weave, quilted; silk and gilt-metal thread: embroidery, couched laid work
Overall: 251.5 x 330.2 cm (99 x 130 in.)
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Wade 1916.1359
Location: 242B Indian Painting

Did You Know?

A small blue and yellow bird perches at the center of the otherwise solely floral design.

Description

This textile could have been used as a covering for seating on the floor or as a bedspread in either an Indian or European setting. In any case, it was not meant to be walked on. Its material and imagery testify to flourishing international relationships. The arabesque designs, consisting of swirling vines with large and small flowers, recall a radiant paradise and have roots in Persian, Chinese, and Mediterranean sources. The use of gold-wrapped thread had been widespread in Spain and Portugal before it was adopted in India, probably first in Goa, a Portuguese colony on the southwestern coast of India from 1510 to 1961. The vibrant colors are distinctive to this region of India.
  • ?–1916
    Mr. Jeptha Homer Wade II [1857–1926] and Mrs. Ellen Garretson Wade [1859–1917], Cleveland, OH, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art
    1916–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • Jain, Rahul. Rapture: The Art of Indian Textiles. New Delhi: Niyogi Books, 2011. Mentioned: p. 160; Reproduced: no. 55, p. 161.
    Mackie, Louise W. Symbols of Power: Luxury Textiles from Islamic Lands, 7th-21st Century. Cleveland: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2015. Mentioned and Reproduced: p. 431, fig. 10.21.
  • Carpets and Canopies in Mughal India​ (Indian art rotation). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (March 22-September 8, 2024).
    Floral Delight: Textiles from Islamic Lands. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (July 9, 2014-May 4, 2015).
    India's Art. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (December 2, 1949-January 22, 1950).
  • {{cite web|title=Bed cover with floral medallion pattern|url=false|author=|year=late 1600s–early 1700s|access-date=19 April 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1916.1359