Art Institute of Chicago

Wall Hanging

Uzbekistan, Bukhara

Date

1801/50

Medium

Silk and cotton; warp-dyed, warp-faced plain weave (ikat)

Culture

Uzbekistan

Department

Textiles

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

This wall hanging is an ikat, a silk textile whose design is created by dyeing the warp threads before weaving. Today these fabrics from Central Asia are renowned and valued worldwide. The silks were produced mainly in the area that is now Uzbekistan. They were given as gifts and exchanged at weddings, and used as both garments and household decorations. The bold silks were often displayed in multiples as an expression of the owner’s status and wealth. In this example, the number of colors and the complexity of the design make it a particularly fine example of the dyers’ and weavers’ art.

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