Art Institute of Chicago

Wall Hanging Composed of Five Panels

Uzbekistan, Samarkand or Bukhara

Date

1850/75

Medium

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

Culture

Uzbekistan

Department

Textiles

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

The ikat dyeing technique was brought to a high level of accomplishment in the 19th century in Central Asia, particularly in the area around the Fergana Valley, in modern-day Uzbekistan. The time-consuming process involves sequentially dyeing bundles of warps and wefts in multiple colors, each time with particular areas tightly wrapped to resist dye penetration, all before they are woven. Warps are then stretched on the loom and wefts are passed so as to create the intended pattern. While the patterns on these objects can be difficult to decipher, many appear to derive from floral motifs, talismanic forms, and Persian patterns. the chief design element here could have been based on a serrated leaf, a flower, or even a peacock.

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