cover image: Palampore

20.500.12592/kk2j4v

Palampore

Research in Progress The wide border, contained between two narrow guard borders with pattern of delicate flowering vine, exhibits a design of five types of palm trees – the Palmyra palm, banana, coconut, betel, and date palms – growing in a row, and forming a repeat pattern. On the ground appear a mongoose, a lamb, and shaggy gray dog wearing a collar. Several of the trees variously inhabited: the coconut palm is being ascended by the "toddy" man, equipped with ladder, sack and other tools, to gather the fluid which will make the "toddy" wine. A parakeet with red body and green tail clings to the trunk of a banana palm; a cobra is coiled round the trunk of the date palm, reaching toward birds which flutter about their nest; brown squirrels are busy on the trunk of the betel palm. The palm trunks are in red, or brown, or blue with red and blue foliage. Colors are two reds, two greens, blue, yellow, violet, and brown. Cotton is very fine, now a biscuit color, and glazed.
Collection
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum Collection Textiles Department
Date published
mid–late 18th century
Dates
mid–late 18th century
Format
Medium: cotton Technique: mordant-painted and resist-dyed (chintz)
Pages
H x W x D: 365.8 x 266.7 cm (12 ft. x 8 ft. 9 in.)
Place Discussed
India
Provider
Smithsonian Institution
Published in
India
Reference
1968-78-2
Rights
Museum purchase from Restricted Funds
Source
Digital Public Library of America https://dp.la/item/840512f7c691a4aa9dd1cc1dbf6de2e4